Full Notification

Russiaville – On the morning of March 20, 2016, Howard County Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Koontz, 27, and Howard County Sheriff’s Sergeant Jordan Buckley, 35, were shot by Evan Dorsey, 25, as the officers attempted to serve a search warrant on Dorsey’s mobile home at 380 Chandler Street in Russiaville, IN.  The Indiana State Police, at the requests of the Howard County Sheriff’s Department and the Howard County Prosecutor’s Office, initiated an investigation into the police involved shooting which happened during this incident.

The investigation led by Indiana State Police Detective Wendell Beachy revealed that at approximately 12:40 a.m. on March 20, 2016, Koontz and Buckley, with three other officers, went to a mobile home on 380 Chandler Street, Russiaville, to serve a search warrant looking for Evan Dorsey. Dorsey had an outstanding arrest warrant for a probation violation. After knocking on the front door and announcing their presence, officers forcibly entered the home. Koontz and Buckley found Evan Dorsey in a locked bedroom. When Koontz and Buckley attempted to enter the room, they were met with gun fire from a nine millimeter handgun and 357 revolver that Dorsey was shooting. Evidence indicates Dorsey fired at least nine shots hitting Sergeant Buckley and Deputy Koontz with one round each. The two deputies did return fire, and shot approximately 16 total rounds from their department issued handguns. Due to Dorsey’s location behind a furnace, none of the officers’ bullets hit him.

The shooting lasted approximately 20 seconds and ended when the officers, who entered the home with Buckley and Koontz, dragged Deputy Koontz outside of the trailer and immediately rendered first aid to him. Buckley was able to exit the trailer on his own. Dorsey died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

Sergeant Buckley sustained a gunshot wound to his buttocks. He was treated and released, and has returned to duty. Deputy Koontz was shot in the pelvis. Unfortunately his injury proved to be fatal.  

Information developed during the Indiana State Police investigation was forwarded to the Howard County Prosecutors Office. Howard County Prosecutor Mark McCann determined that the officers’ actions during the warrant service and shooting were lawful. His office considers the matter related to the shooting and warrant service closed.

Attached is Howard County Prosecutor McCann's statement and the names of six suspects arrested as part of video footage from this cae. Also there are three outstanding suspects listed. All people arrested were transported to the Howard County Jail.

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