SOUTH BEND—A judge has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate a white police officer's fatal shooting of a black man in the Indiana city where Pete Buttigieg is mayor.
A St. Joseph County judge appointed Richard Hertel from southeastern Indiana's Ripley County to oversee the investigation into Eric Logan's June 16 shooting and determine if criminal charges are warranted. The county prosecutor had sought a special prosecutor to handle the shooting case.
South Bend Police Sgt. Ryan O'Neill remains on paid administrative leave following the shooting of the 54-year-old man.
Police have said Logan was armed with a knife when O'Neill shot him as he approached the officer.
The June 16 shooting prompted Buttigieg, who's seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, to leave the campaign trail for several days to answer questions about public safety and race .
In a statement tweeted Wednesday by South Bend's police union, O'Neill says that "Being thrown into the middle of a Presidential campaign was something we never anticipated."
