A Scottsburg man was shot and killed by a Salem Police officer on Wednesday, July 3 before 2 p.m.
Mark A. Naugle, 53, Scottsburg, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Washington County Coroner.
Naugle was a 1984 graduate of Salem High school and a brother of Washington County Sheriffs’s Deputy Brad Naugle.
According to Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls, the initial evidence and investigation reveal that shortly before 2 p.m., two Salem City Police officers arrived on fairgrounds property to investigate a suspicious person call involving a male subject.
Naugle was observed looking around equipment at Thunder Valley Raceway and a person phone police to let them know.
Officers eventually located Naugle standing in the creek which borders the property.
During the encounter, Naugle approached the officers brandishing a hammer and refused repeated commands to drop the hammer and stop approaching, prompting at least one Salem police officer to fire their weapon, striking and killing Naugle.
Huls said the names of the officers won’t be released until Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Dustin Houchin has the information from the state police and is ready to make a statement.
Washington County EMS was called to the fairgrounds at 1:59p.
Both police officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is customary in police-involved shootings.
ISP was dispatched to the area of the Washington County Fairgrounds in Salem Wednesday afternoon.
ISP detectives assumed the investigation upon arriving on-scene at the request of the Salem Police Department and were assisted by officers from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
This investigation is ongoing, including an autopsy, and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Once the preliminary investigation has been completed, all information will be turned over to the Washington County Prosecutor for review.
State police units were assisted by the Salem City Police Department, The Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Washington County EMS, and the Washington County Coroner’s Office.
