Fortville police officer shot
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Fortville police officer Matt Fox was trying to perform a traffic stop on a male driver who refused to stop. A pursuit started, ending at a housing subdivision in the 7800 block of Clearview Lane.
Police say Fox was shot through his windshield and was struck in the head and the wrist. He was taken to IU Health Methodist Hospital (Photo/Tom Russo/Daily Reporter)
LAWRENCE — Fortville police officer Matt Fox is reported as being in good condition after having been shot in the line of duty late Friday.
Fox was transported by Lifeline to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis shortly before midnight, where he is reported to be in good condition with non-life-threatening wounds. The suspect, James Lockhart III, 27, of Indianapolis, was killed minutes later after exchanging fire with Marion County officers.
Fox had been working Operation Pullover and tried to stop Lockhart for a broken tail light. Lockhart led Fox on a brief pursuit, during which time Fox provided dispatchers with a description of the vehicle. Hancock County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Rasche, having not heard Fox over the radio for a period of time, searched and found Fox, still belted into his car near Clearview Lane and High View Drive in Lawrence and shot three times: one bullet went through his wrist when he held up his hand, one into his bulletproof vest and another grazed his head. Rasche said Fox was still alert and talking, giving another description of the suspect vehicle.
Lockhart was found nearby by officers on the lookout for his white volvo. After a brief exchange of gunfire, Lockhart inflicted a minor injury to a Marion County sheriff’s deputy and injured a K9 officer before he was shot and killed.
Police say Lockhart had a criminal history, including a felony battery charge and misdemeanor resisting law enforcement charge from 2008. There are no reports that Lockhart had a warrant for his arrest.
Look for full details of this story in an upcoming edition of the Daily Reporter.
