UPDATE (August 1, 2024):
The Allen County Coroner has identified the man who was shot and killed by a Fort Wayne police officer on Tuesday.
Gawon Kaerey Benson’s death was ruled a ‘Homicide-Police Action’. The shooting is still under investigation and the officer is currently on leave.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office released the following:
On Tuesday, July 30th, 2024, the Allen County Coroner’s Office was notified of a shooting on West Campus Drive on University of Purdue Fort Wayne campus, in Fort Wayne. First responders pronounced death at the scene.
The individual was identified as Gawon Kaerey Benson, 31, male, Black of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
An autopsy has been completed and notification has been made to the legal next of kin. The Cause of Death is Multiple Gunshot Wounds and the Manner of Death is Homicide-Police Action.
Gawon Kaerey Benson is the 22nd for Allen County in 2024.
The incident remains under investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, the Indiana State Police, the Purdue Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Allen County Coroner’s Office.
ORIGINAL STORY:
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Fort Wayne Police Department says that a suspect is dead after an officer-involved shooting at Purdue University Fort Wayne. The campus closed after the incident Tuesday morning.
DeKalb County Community Corrections says a man failed to return to custody and police learned that person may be on campus. The man was located by police and was armed – but did not respond to police commands. Shots were fired and the suspect was struck and pronounced dead at the scene.
The FWPD released the following:
Dekalb County Community Corrections called the Fort Wayne Police Department today at roughly 7:17 am, to assist in locating a Community Corrections adult male violator that failed to return to their custody. Information was obtained that the violator was possibly armed with a gun. The FWPD responded to an apartment complex near PFW to look for the suspect. Dekalb Community Corrections requested PFW units check the campus for the suspect. The suspect was located on PFW campus by PFW and FWPD officers. The suspect failed to comply with verbal commands given by the officers. The officers reported that the suspect was armed with a gun. Shots were fired and the suspect was struck. Officers rendered medical aid to the suspect until relieved by medics. Medics continued providing medical aid until it was determined that the suspect succumbed to his injuries.
This incident remains under investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, Purdue Fort Wayne Police Department, Allen County Coroner’s Office, and the Allen County Prosecutor’s office. The Indiana State Police will conduct an independent investigation.
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