Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post began investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred along US 50 (Tipton Street) near Burkhart Boulevard in Seymour, Indiana.

The initial investigation by ISP Investigators indicated that at approximately 8:30 pm, officers with the Seymour Police Department were called to the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 1600 East Tipton Street to investigate a theft from the store. 

Upon arriving in the area, the officers located a white male matching the suspect’s description along Tipton Street who was allegedly in possession of stolen merchandise. 

The man fled from the officers on foot northbound across Tipton Street.

The investigation determined that the man entered a ditch in front of Taco Bell while armed with a handgun. 

Two Seymour Police Officers fired their weapons, striking the suspect. 

He was provided medical attention at the scene before being transported to Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana where he died as a result of the injuries.  No officers were injured in the incident. 

The Seymour Police Department requested that Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post conduct the investigation into the incident.

At this time, investigators are working to identify the man who was shot and to notify his family.  An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3^rd.  His identity, as well as the identity of the officers involved, will be forthcoming.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be presented to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

The Indiana State Police has been assisted by the Seymour Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Jackson County EMS, Seymour Fire Department, and Jackson County Coroner’s Office

On October 30, at approximately 11:40 pm, the Washington County Sheriffs Department received a 911 call in reference to a motor vehicle crash.

The caller advised the dispatch center that a vehicle was on its top, in a field and the driver was unconscious.

The caller further advised the crash occurred on Becks Mill Road, between Mitchell Road and Mill Creek Road.

Police, fire and EMS arrived on the scene and the driver was removed through the rear window of the vehicle.

The driver was identified as Christopher Smith, age 48 of Fredericksburg, IN.

Evidence at the scene indicated Smith was traveling southbound on Becks Mill Road.

As Smith was entering a curve, for unknown reasons, Smith traveled left of center and off the roadway.

The vehicle rolled over and came to a rest on its top.

Smith was flown by air ambulance to University of Louisville Hospital.

The crash is still under investigation. Deputy Allen Taylor is the investigating officer and he was assisted by Deputies Tory Hildreth and Lucas Gray.

Other departments assisting with the crash included Salem Police Department, Washington County EMS, Blue River First Responders and air ambulance.

The West Washington School Corporation will be moving to virtual education for the next five days while staff and students quarantine.

The school has been notified of a positive Covid-19 result of a staff member from the Jr High School.

There are several staff members that must be quarantined as close contacts and it will affect a number of students as well, according to Superintendent Keith Nance.

Additionally, Nance said the corporation has several staff members already on quarantine or awaiting results of Covid-19 tests.

“The decision has been made to move to a virtual schedule for a minimum of five days,” said Nance. “This could be longer after consultation with the health department.”

This is for the entire corporation K-12.

“Due to the nature of our corporation set up, we feel it is necessary to take these precautions for all grades,” Nance said in a release on social media Sunday night.

On Monday, school administration and the health department will be conducting contact tracing and notifying anyone that may have been in “close contact” as defined by the CDC. 

Virtual instruction will begin Monday, November 2.

“Monday’s virtual schedule may look a little different, because our teachers received very little notice of the closure,” said Nance. “Teachers will be contacting students, holding Google Meets and posting important information on their Google Classroom. Students should check into their Google Classrooms and complete work on their normal daily schedule.”

”If you are a parent of a younger child and they cannot access the content until you are home from work, please contact your teacher and your building administrator so we can add you to the list of students that will be completing their work after school hours.”

Until contact tracing is complete, the school is not sure of the impact on extracurricular activities.

“This could impact a small number of students and staff or it could impact a larger group,” said Nance.

“We will not know the full impact until the contact tracing process is complete. Teams and players will be contacted about Monday’s events some time on Monday.”

The school’s football is set to play in their Sectional Championship game this Friday night and the girls basketball team is set to begin play this week.

Nance said to prepare as if practices and events will go on as planned.

“We will notify you if there is a change,” he said.

“We apologize for the inconvenience of this late notice. Our administration was notified at 6:00 pm on Sunday 11/1/20 as soon as they received their results. This communication was timely and exactly what we needed to make the best decision for the safety of our students and staff. If we would have had to wait to hear from the ISDH we may not have known until Monday after everyone had already arrived at school. I commend our families for being vigilant and effectively communicating with us,” he noted. 

This is the school’s second closure due to Covid-19. They recently returned to in-person education on Oct. 26. 

Salem schools has been out due to several cases of Covid-19 after fall break and is set to return to in-person instruction on Monday, November 2.

Saturday night, October 31, at approximately 9:18, Indiana State Police responded to a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash on US 41 south of Hess Road involving a Knox County Sheriff’s Deputy that hit and killed a 68-year-old Vincennes man. 

The pedestrian involved in the fatal crash on US 41 near Hess Road has been identified as Kenneth W. McGiffen, 68, of Vincennes, IN

The investigation revealed the sheriff’s deputy was responding to a crash with unknown injuries in the area of US 41 and Cottonwood Lane.

The deputy was south of Vincennes and traveling north on US 41. The sheriff’s deputy had his emergency lights activated. As the deputy approached the area of Hess Road, a male wearing dark clothing walked from the median into the deputy’s lane of travel.

The sheriff’s deputy braked but couldn’t avoid striking the pedestrian.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by the Knox County Coroner.

Further investigation revealed the 68-year-old male had been traveling on US 41 and for unknown reasons drove off the roadway near Cottonwood Lane and struck a tree and fence.

McGiffen left the scene of the crash and was attempting to cross US 41 when he was struck.

The original crash was approximately ¼ mile away from the crash involving the male pedestrian and the sheriff’s deputy.

The investigation is continuing.

Investigating Officer: Trooper Nick Hatfield, Indiana State Police

Assisting Officer: Sergeant Kylen Compton, Indiana State Police

Assisting Agencies: Knox County Coroner’s Office and Knox County Sheriff’s Office

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fall from a tree stand that occurred yesterday evening.

At approximately 5:30 p.m., responders were dispatched to the 9000 block of North County Road 125 East in Jennings County for a hunter who fell approximately 14 feet from an elevated tree stand.

John Connor, 39, of Bristol, Vermont, was initially treated on the scene and subsequently airlifted to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis with a serious back injury.

An initial investigation revealed that ropes securing the saddle style tree stand to the tree became loose causing Connor to fall to the ground.

Responding agencies include Indiana Conservation Officers, Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Jennings County EMS and Westport EMS. 

Indiana Conservation Officers encourage all who are hunting from an elevated position to utilize a safety harness and lifelines and to check all tree stands and straps prior to climbing.

Indiana Conservation Officers assisted with the recovery of an unidentified adult male from the White River today in Marion County.

At approximately 12:47 p.m., Marion County dispatch received a call regarding a body in the White River near the Indianapolis Zoo.

Upon arrival, responders discovered an unidentified male in the White River. The Marion County Coroner took possession of the remains and they are working on identifying the subject. 

Due to the condition of the victim, additional identifiers are not available at this time.

If you have any information on the identity of this person, please contact the Marion County Coroner’s Office at 317-327-4744.

Indiana Conservation Officers were assisted by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indianapolis Fire Department, Indiana University/ Purdue University of Indianapolis Police Department.