Greenfield Police Department senior officer Jarrod Davis
GREENFIELD — An Indianapolis man in the midst of assaulting a woman was shot and killed by a Greenfield Police Department officer during a violent domestic disturbance early Sunday morning.
Officials with the Indiana State Police said the shooting happened around 8:45 a.m. in the 700 block of Bobtail Drive. The man a police officer killed has been identified as Darrin Baker, 56, Indianapolis.
Officials with the ISP noted that detectives from their department were asked to handle the investigation of the officer-involved shooting at the request of Greenfield Police Department chief Brian Hartman.
“In this officer-involved shooting, the Indiana State Police were called in to investigate the incident as protocol and to be completely transparent,” Hartman said.
Officials with the ISP said, from what they can determine so far, officers from the GPD responded to the home located North of U.S. 40 and east of Ind. 9 off of Jaycie Phelps Driver with reports of a domestic issue in progress with possible shots being fired. The 911 calls were coming from neighbors who were not directly involved in the incident, officials said.
Prior to police arrival, it is alleged, officials said that a male subject (Baker) was outside of a residence when an adult female returned home. The subject allegedly fired a shot through the driver’s side window of the vehicle the female was driving. Baker then forcibly removed the female from the vehicle and took her inside her house against her will.
Officials said Baker was a known acquaintance of the victim.
Shortly after, at approximately 8:44 a.m., a senior patrolman for the GPD, Jarrod Davis, arrived at the residence. He and another officer observed a broken window on the vehicle parked in the driveway and an open garage door, officials said. Officers entered the home through the open garage door, which led into the residence.
Upon announcing their presence, the officers heard screams of a female in distress, officials said. The Greenfield officers then encountered Baker inside the home where they said he was actively assaulting the victim while armed with a handgun.
Patrolman Davis discharged his weapon, striking Baker and causing him to fall to the ground, officials said. Officers attended to the female victim while other officers began life-saving aid to Baker until paramedics arrived. No other officers discharged a weapon, officials said.
Baker was transported to a local hospital and was pronounced deceased a short time later.
Patrolman Davis has been a police officer with the GPD for three-and-a-half years and most recently had some specialized training as one of three GPD officers who attended a 40-hour Instructor Development class at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
Standard protocol for GPD officers involved in a shooting incident calls for any officer involved in a shooting to go in front of the The Hancock County, Indiana Firearms Review Board. Chief Hartman said that review will take place after the investigation is complete.
Standard protocol states an officer involved in a shooting is removed from the scene and taken to a secure location, and the officer is afforded an opportunity to contact their FOP Legal Defense. The Officer is then placed on paid administrative leave and expected to cooperate fully with the investigation.
An officer is placed on administrative leave for several reasons, Hartman said. One, so the investigation can be completed with no further actions. Furthermore, due to the traumatic experience for an officer, they need time to decompress the incident. Officers are also sent for an emotional and mental check through an Employee Assistance Program following shooting incidents.
Hartman went on to say his heart goes out to all involved in police shooting incidents.
“This type of incident is difficult for many, as someone has lost their life,” Hartman said. “An incident like this affects so many people — the victim is affected as well as the family of the suspect.”
Hartman added that an officer involved in a shooting and his family are affected, as well as is the whole police department.
“It is widely overlooked that officers are human and have feelings as well and the effect it can have on them,” Hartman said.
Indiana State Police Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators spent the day Sunday, July 31 examining evidence and processing the crime scene. Detectives are working with the GPD, the Hancock County Coroner and the Hancock County Prosecutor office as they continue the investigation.
Officials from the ISP said information is preliminary and subject to change as evidence dictates the shooting incident is still an active and ongoing investigation.
Capt. Chuck McMichael, deputy chief and public information officer for the GPD, said the ISP investigation could take several weeks to complete and noted all police camera video associated with the shooting was immediately put on lock down and given to the ISP for their investigation.
Official findings by the ISP will be sent to the prosecutor’s office for review to determine if any charges should be filed.
