Man accused of shooting two officers in Lawrence Co. was just released from parole in November

MITCHELL — The man accused of shooting two officers in Lawrence County over the weekend has a criminal history that dates back at least a decade.

Anthony Richmond was killed early Sunday morning during an exchange of gunfire with officers from the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department and the Mitchell Police Department.

Richmond had a criminal history of drug related offenses, and had more recently been released from parole on Nov. 22, 2022.

In 2016, Richmond was charged in Orange County with five drug related offenses including dealing in marijuana with a prior drug conviction, intent to deliver methamphetamine, methamphetamine possession, and maintaining a common nuisance.

In November 2017, Richmond pleaded guilty to one of those charges, methamphetamine possession.

He was incarcerated at Wabash Valley and Branchville state prisons from Jan. 11, 2018 to Feb. 17, 2022, and then was on parole from Feb. 17, 2022 to Nov. 2, 2022.

"He was not on parole at the time of this incident," said Annie Goeller, Chief Communications Officer for the Indiana Department of Correction.

In 2016, Anthony Richmond was charged in Martin County with taking property by force/threatening the use of force while armed with a deadly weapon as well as criminal confinement, but prosecutors dismissed both felonies in 2017.

In 2015, Richmond was charged in Orange County with operating a vehicle with a controlled substance with a prior conviction and marijuana possession, but both charges were later dismissed in 2017.

In October 2015, he pleaded guilty in a separate case to battery resulting in bodily injury.

In 2013, Orange County prosecutors charged Richmond with four drug related offenses.

He was convicted in March 2014 of meth possession, possession of a controlled substance, dealing marijuana/hash oil/hashish.

He served less than two months in state prison on that case— from March 19, 2014 until May 4, 2014, records show.

In 2012, Richmond was charged in Martin County for driving while suspended, however the charge was dismissed.

Two officers shot

ISP says around 3:15 a.m. on Feb. 5, a Lawrence County Sheriff's deputy pulled over a vehicle driven by Richmond in the area of 4800 SR 37 in Mitchell.

While the deputy was conducting the stop, a second deputy and his K9 partner, along with a Mitchell Police Officer both arrived on the scene to assist during the stop. The incident evolved into a drug investigation after the K9 gave a positive indication during an "open-air sniff", according to ISP.

Officers located narcotics inside the vehicle and while they were attempting to put the Richmond in handcuffs he fled from the scene on foot and ran across SR 37 into a grassy area. When officers caught up with Richmond he began to physically resist, drew a handgun and began firing at officers at point-blank range, according to ISP.

Two officers were struck by gunfire and at least one officer was able to return fire, striking the suspect. Additional officers arrived on the scene and began providing medical aid to both of the officers and the suspect before they were transported for emergency treatment.

The two officers were airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and were "alert and conscious". Their injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening.

The officers were identified as Lawrence County Sherrif's Deputy Joshua Rhoades, a five-year veteran of the department and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson, a three-year veteran of the police department.

Rhoades was later released from the hospital Sunday night. Anderson remains in the hospital, his condition is stable.

Richmond died at a nearby hospital.

Indiana State Police say the officers involved were wearing body cameras at the time of the incident and the footage will be reviewed by detectives as part of the investigation.

Additional details about the shooting remain under investigation. No other information is being released at this time.