TELL CITY — A man was shot to death by police early Friday in southern Indiana after leading officers on a vehicle pursuit, ramming police vehicles and firing a gun at them, according to Indiana State Police.
The shooting happened in Tell City and involved a single city police officer, though other officers and Perry County Sheriff's deputies were also present at the time, according to ISP Sgt. Todd Ringle.
Police in Cannelton first encountered the suspect — 22-year-old Payton A. Masterson of Tell City about 12:45 a.m. while trying to conduct a stop on a GMC pickup truck he was driving. Police were trying to pull him over on suspicion of speeding.
But Masterson refused commands, ISP says. He instead drove to Tell City and back, all while failing to stop. At one point, he turned around at fired several rounds, striking a Cannelton police vehicle. He then exited the GMC and then stole another vehicle, according to police.
Masterson drove the stolen vehicle back into Tell City, went to the city's police department, and rammed several parked police vehicles before fleeing on foot to his apartment nearby.
Perry: ISP will be on scene processing two scenes in Tell City and one in Cannelton. All police officers are okay. Suspect is deceased. Two police vehicles damaged by gunfire. Three police cars and a trailer were damaged in the Tell City Police parking lot. pic.twitter.com/cDtpz1U5Ev
— Sgt. Todd Ringle (@ISPEvansville) November 11, 2022
Once Masterson was inside, Tell City police and Perry County Sheriff's deputies set up a perimeter outside the apartment building. He eventually shot at police from an open second-floor window, hitting a Perry County Sheriff's vehicle, police say.
It was then a Tell City officer returned fire, fatally wounding Masterson.
An Indiana State Police SWAT team used a drone to scout the area and confirmed Masterson was down.
During the encounter, two police vehicles were damaged by gunfire and several others were damaged when Masterson rammed them in the police department parking lot, police say.
All police officers who were involved have been accounted for and were uninjured, Ringle said.
An autopsy for Masterson is scheduled for Saturday.
An investigation is ongoing.
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