Pulaski County-The officers involved in the police action shooting were Deputy Branson Eber of Pulaski County, Roger Young of the Monon Police Department, and Deputies Jodi Rohler and Jon Eads of Tippecanoe County.
Doffin exited his vehicle and aggressively charged at the officers brandishing a knife and was told repeatedly to drop his weapon. Failing to comply with officers demands and still advancing on the officers, action was taken to stop the aggression. The investigation is continuing.
The Pulaski County Prosecutor will evaluate the case and make an official ruling on the shooting as soon as he receives the information from the state police investigators.
All other information will come from the prosecutor's office.
Original releases are below.
The name of the deceased is Peter J. Doffin Jr, 36 of Lafayette, IN. Family has been notified. Original release is below.
Pulaski County-The Indiana State Police out of the Lowell Post are investigating a police action shooting that occurred on US 421 about one mile south of the SR 114 intersection (that is about four miles south of Francesville, IN) involving multiple agencies.
Preliminary investigation has revealed the driver of the 1999 white GMC Yukon pulled into a residence in Warren County at around 4:30 a.m. and dragged a female juvenile to his vehicle and left. A description of the vehicle with license plate information was given to Warren County Sheriff’s dispatch center and was broadcasted out to neighboring city, county and Indiana State Police. The suspect vehicle was located by Deputies of the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department, who tried to stop the Yukon. The driver would not stop and Tippecanoe County pursued the vehicle through Tippecanoe, Carroll and White Counties.
Stop sticks were deployed several times during the pursuit which caused several tires on the Yukon to deflate. The driver continued on through Monticello with Deputies from the Tippecanoe Sheriff’s Department, Troopers from the ISP Lafayette Post, Flora Police Department, Monticello Police Department and the White County Sheriff’s Department assisting.
The driver of the Yukon continued on west of Monticello on US 24 headed towards Reynolds where he turned north continuing on US 421 towards Monon. The Monon Marshal attempted to deploy stop sticks on the south edge of town. The Yukon drove over the stop sticks and continued north through town with speeds under 40 mph.
About 6:32 a.m. one mile into Pulaski County, a deputy stopped southbound traffic, was going to deploy stop sticks when a semi went to pass him as the pursuit was coming north. The Monon Marshal had gotten in front of the Yukon. The marshal drove off the right side of the roadway to avoid hitting the semi. The Yukon attempted to go between the semi and the Marshal’s car. The Yukon struck both vehicles and continued down into the ditch where it came to rest. The driver of the Yukon came out displaying a weapon and made threatening gestures towards the officers who shot and killed the driver. The female passenger was not injured and no officers were injured in the gunfire.
The name of the deceased will be released when family is notified. The names of the officers involved in the shooting will be released by their respective departments at which time they feel appropriate. Information about the abduction, contact the Warren County Sheriff’s Department. Information on the pursuit itself, contact the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation is continuing.
Pictures are of the crash scene.
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Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
