LAFAYETTE — A man died during an officer-involved shooting early Friday morning, following a traffic stop and confrontation with police at an apartment complex.
According to the Lafayette Police Department, the incident began at approximately 12:25 a.m. when an officer conducted a traffic stop near South Street and Sagamore Parkway on suspicion of impaired driving.
During the stop, police said the male driver made statements indicating he posed a risk of harm to himself before fleeing the scene in his vehicle. Following departmental policy, officers did not pursue the fleeing vehicle.
LPD officers continued searching for the suspect vehicle and located it on Frontage Road at approximately 1:16 a.m. The suspect drove to the Waterford Court Apartments complex, where Lafayette police were assisted by Indiana State Police troopers.
The man parked his vehicle in the 200 block of Porsche Lane East. When officers confronted him, police said the suspect was non-compliant with verbal commands and stated he was armed with a weapon.
The suspect then reportedly moved his hand to his waistband behind his back as if preparing to brandish a weapon, which resulted in the officer-involved shooting.
Officers rendered medical aid to the suspect, but he died at the scene.
There were no other occupants in the vehicle, and no officers or civilian bystanders were injured during the incident.
Per standard protocol for officer-involved critical incidents, the involved LPD officers have been placed on administrative leave.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending positive identification and proper notification of next of kin by the Tippecanoe County Coroner's Office.
The incident remains an active and ongoing joint investigation between the Lafayette Police Department and the Indiana State Police.
