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Officer, Suspect Killed In Indiana Shootout

TERRE HAUTE, Ind.— A man being served an arrest warrant opened fire on officers Monday, fatally wounding a Terre Haute police officer before being shot dead himself.

Officer Brent Long died a few hours after the shooting after being airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital, Assistant Police Chief Shawn Keen said at a news conference Monday night.

Long, a six-year police veteran, also was a member of the department’s SWAT team and leaves behind a family, Keen said without offering additional details.

“You won’t find a better officer anywhere,” Keen said.

The name of the dead gunman, who was believed to be in his 30s, wasn’t immediately released, pending notification of relatives, Indiana State Police Sgt. Joe Watts said.

Long and his dog, Shadow, were the first to enter the gunman’s home, ahead of five other officers as a team of state and local police and a deputy federal marshal served the man an arrest warrant for violating probation and receiving stolen property, Watts said. The gunman opened fire within seconds.

“Shots pretty much immediately rang out against the officers,” Watts said.

Medics treated Long at the scene before taking him to a Terre Haute hospital, where he received additional treatment before being airlifted to Indianapolis, Watts said.

The dog also was shot and was being treated, Watts said. No one else was injured, he said.

Other occupants of the home fled the home before the officers entered a rear door to the home, Watts said.

“We had no specific knowledge there would be weapons in the home,” Watts said.

It wasn’t clear how many shots were fired by the gunman or by officers or who fatally shot the gunman.

Watts noted the shooting occurred about 3:30 p.m.

“This goes to show you nothing is routine,” Watts said.

Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett said the western Indiana city was in mourning.

“This is a terrible loss,” Bennett said.