LAKE COUNTY — An Indiana State Police trooper was injured and an armed robbery suspect was killed following a shootout on Interstate 65 on Friday night in Northwest Indiana.
The incident began with an armed robbery and carjacking at the Pilot Travel Center in Remington, according to a news release from Indiana State Police. The suspect allegedly pointed a gun at the victim's head and stole a black Mitsubishi before driving north on I-65.
A Demotte police officer saw the Mitsubishi traveling at the 230 mile marker, but was unable to make a traffic stop and lost sight of the car near the Lowell exit at mile marker 240, the news release said.
Two Indiana State Police troopers looking for the vehicle saw it near the 246 mile marker and attempted to pull it over. The troopers pursued the Mitsubishi until the driver slowed the vehicle due to a flat tire when "the driver exited the vehicle and immediately began to fire a weapon at the troopers, striking one of them," the news release said.
The troopers fired back and one of them hit the suspect, state police said. He was pronounced dead the scene by the Lake County Coroner's Office. His identity has not been released.
A trooper applied a tourniquet to the injured trooper's "lower extremity." The injured trooper was transported to St. Anthony's Hospital in Crown Point with non-life threatening injuries.
State police are also asking for the public's help in finding a second person who was seen at the Pilot Travel Center. The suspect is described as a Black male who was possibly driving a silver Toyota Corolla.
Before the driver arrived at the travel center, the vehicle was seen entering Pilot with its hazard lights activated, according to state police. The Toyota was seen parked next to the black Mitsubishi that was stolen.
The Toyota Corolla was found abandoned on I-65 at the 202 mile marker. State police said anyone with information should contact the Lafayette State Police post at 765-567-2125.
The shooting remains under investigation, state police said.
