A person is dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot after police responding to a call of a shoplifter at a sporting goods store in Hammond, Ind., that lead to a police pursuit onto the freeway where the suspect reportedly fatally shot himself, authorities said Monday.
Hammond police officers were dispatched the Cabela’s on the 7700 block of Cabela’s drive about 12:13 p.m., police said in a news release. When police approached the suspect, he fled on foot and refused orders to stop, so an officer fired his Taser but missed, police said. The suspect then allegedly produced what looked like a gun and fired once toward an officer who was not hit, police said. The same officer tried a second time to use their Taser against the suspect but missed again, police said.
The suspect fled the Cabela’s to his silver Honda Civic and fled north on Indianapolis Boulevard from the sporting goods store, leading police on a chase to the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis exit on I-294 where he pulled over, police said. An officer in pursuit reportedly then saw a “puff of smoke inside” of the Honda Civic,” where police believe the alleged shoplifter shot himself.
Illinois State Police said in its own news release that the man in the Honda Civic died of a confirmed self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The Hammond Police Department and ISP both said no officers discharged their firearms during the pursuit.
“This was not an expressway shooting,” the ISP news release reads.
Illinois State Police were processing the vehicle Monday afternoon and the dead suspect had not yet been identified, police said. Police also said several items allegedly taken from the Cabela’s location were recovered outside the store by employees.
