IMPD releases bodycam video in April shooting that wounded 2 officers and killed suspect
By: IMPD released bodycam video from an April shooting that wounded two officers and left a suspect dead near 30th Street and North Post Road.
Police said the incident started during an Indiana Crime Guns Task Force firearms investigation involving IMPD and the Lawrence Police Department. Officers were doing surveillance on a house in the 9100 block of East 36th Street around 12:40 p.m. on April 20.
Police were looking for 46-year-old Daniel Yefter Ghebrehiwet. Officers claim when Ghebrehiwet left the house, he was spotted carrying a soft rifle case as he got into a car.
Detectives followed the car and tried pulling it over, but police said Ghebrehiwet took off.
Police said there were multiple attempts to stop the chase by spinning out the suspect's car, which were unsuccessful. An officer can be heard on the radio describing Ghebrehiwet as a shooting suspect.
According to police, Ghebrehiwet's car reached a dead-end in a business' parking lot and continued into a grassy area behind houses before coming to a stop due to terrain.
NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on the suspect being identified by the coroner's office.
As Ghebrehiwet's car stopped, police claim he got out of his car and fired on detectives De Leon and Phelps. Both officers were wounded. Two other officers fired back at Ghebrehiwet along with De Leon and Phelps, and Ghebrehiwet was killed.
In the bodycam video, you can hear shots being fired as De Leon gets out of his squad car.
De Leon begins returning fire and as he is reloading his handgun, he is hit. De Leon then retreats for cover as other officers continue shooting.
After Ghebrehiwet was down, other officers can be seen applying a tourniquet to De Leon's leg.
Detective Phelps was in the car with De Leon. Phelps reported De Leon was wounded right before he was shot in the torso. Phelps continued to fire back at Ghebrehiwet.
Police said the two officers who were shot were taken by fellow officers to Eskenazi Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to police, Ghebrehiwet was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said an AR-15-style rifle was found near the suspect.
Indiana Department of Correction records show Ghebrehiwet was convicted of carrying a handgun without a license in 2000 and 2006, as well as another handgun violation in 2017.
Police said another suspect, who was the passenger in the suspect's car, ran but was taken into custody a short time later. The passenger was identified as 31-year-old Darnell Harmon. Harmon was placed under arrest for an unrelated narcotics warrant out of Marion County.
According to police, an IMPD car at the scene had multiple bullet holes in the hood, side of the car, and back and front windshields.
"(Police officers) don’t deserve to be targeted," IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bailey said at the time. "Our officers have a mission to stop violent crime, (and) we need help. The community needs to hold themselves accountable."
Detective Phelps was released from the hospital the same day as the shooting. Detective De Leon was released the following day. No other officers were injured in the shooting.