An Indiana State Police trooper was wounded and a 23-year-old armed robbery suspect was killed in a shootout Friday on I-65 near Crown Point, Indiana.
The incident started with an armed robbery and carjacking about 10:15 p.m. at the Pilot Truck Stop along I-65 in Remington, Indiana, according to a statement from Indiana State Police. The suspect stole a black Mitsubishi at gunpoint and drove off north on the expressway.
A DeMotte, Indiana, police officer spotted the Mitsubishi heading north near the 230 mile marker but was unable to make a traffic stop and lost sight of the car near Lowell, state police said. Two state troopers searching for the vehicle saw it near the 246 mile marker near Crown Point and tried to pull it over.
The troopers pursued the fleeing Mitsubishi until it slowed because of a flat tire, at which point the driver got out and “immediately began to fire a weapon at the troopers, striking one of them,” state police said. The troopers returned fire and one of them hit the 23-year-old man.
Another trooper applied a tourniquet to the wounded trooper’s leg before he was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point, according to state police. His injury was not thought to be life threatening.
The Lake County coroner’s office identified the 23-year-old man as being Caine Van Pelt of Englewood. He was pronounced dead at the scene
The shooting remains under investigation, state police said.
