Indianapolis firefighter hurt by man who chased woman, held her at knifepoint

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis firefighter was injured Saturday afternoon when he was pushed against a department vehicle by a man who chased a woman to a fire station and held her at knifepoint before being arrested, an official said.

It all started about 1 p.m. as the firefighter was returning to Station 11, 1715 E. Washington St., according to Indianapolis Fire Department Batallion Chief Rita Reith.

The firefighter was backing a department vehicle in when a woman in distress ran past him and into the station's apparatus bay. She yelled that a man was chasing her, and as the firefighter got out of the vehicle, he noticed a man was running toward the station.

The firefighter then approached the man and told him to stop, at which point the man became aggressive and shoved him up against the vehicle, Reith said.

The man then ran into the apparatus bay and made physical contact with the woman.

Provided/Indianapolis Fire Department

It was then an engine crew came to the bay to investigate. Once there, they saw the man holding a knife with the woman. Crews then called Indianapolis police.

Once the man saw the crew, he became "both verbally and physically aggressive," Reith said. Firefighters then disarmed and restrained the man until police arrived.

The man was taken into police custody and transported to a hospital to be checked for injuries, along with the firefighter. The firefighter was checked and released with slight injuries and was then sent home for the rest of his shift, Reith said.

The woman and all other firefighters involved were unharmed.

Reith said the crew is "still processing the troubling event."

WRTV has reached out to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for comment.