The Indiana State Police along with numerous police agencies responded to the Travelers Inn motel this morning after a man from one of the rooms fired shots at Fremont Police Officers.
Preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Clint Hetrick revealed at approximately 10:50 a.m., four officers from the Fremont Police Department responded to the hotel which is located on State Road 120, about one-half mile east of I-69, to perform a welfare check on an individual in one of the rooms.
The officers entered the room and made contact with a man who was sitting in the bathroom. They partially opened the bathroom door and saw he was armed with a handgun, which he then used to fire on the officers with. None of them were hit nor injured by the shots.
They immediately exited the room and called for assistance, and once additional officers arrived, a perimeter was established and the other rooms were evacuated. Local businesses were informed and nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
State Police Negotiators were summoned and began attempting to establish communication with the man in the motel room, later identified as 36 year old Joshua A. Kelley of Kendallville. Intermittent telephone communication was established with him over the next six to seven hours.
At approximately 5:00 p.m., tear gas was introduced into the room and at approximately 5:20 p.m., Kelley allegedly fired shots at officers. Finally, at about 5:45 p.m., Kelley exited the room on his own and surrendered himself to police. He was taken to Cameron Hospital to be medically cleared for incarceration. He is currently incarcerated in the Steuben County Jail without bond on the following preliminary charges:
- Manufacturing Methamphetamine
- Possession of a Handgun by a Convicted Felon
- Pointing a Loaded Firearm
- Intimidation
- Three (3) Counts of Criminal Recklessness
Working collaboratively at the scene were the Fremont Police, Steuben County Sheriff, Auburn Police, Orland Police, Angola Police, Ashley Police and Fort Wayne Police Departments; Fremont and Angola Fire Departments, Steuben County EMA, Steuben County EMS and the Steuben County Prosecutor’s Office.
