INDIANAPOLIS — A man was shot and killed by Indianapolis Metropolitan police on Thursday evening following a reported hostage situation near a McDonald’s on Indy’s south side. The man has been identified as 60-year-old Lamont Bland, according to the Marion County Coroner’s Office.
The incident took place at 4941 Knights Way, the address for a McDonald’s, after officers responded to the area for a welfare check. They had received reports of a possible disturbance in the sleeping cabin of a semi-truck parked near the restaurant.
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Upon arrival, officers spoke with a witness who claimed to have heard a woman screaming and calling for help from inside the parked truck. The officers then observed a hostage situation unfolding as they heard the woman’s cries for help.
Bland, who was later identified as the suspect, initially came out of the truck and then returned to the cabin. The officers heard the woman scream, pleading for her life. They instructed everyone to exit the truck and managed to gain entry by breaking the window and door.
As the officers approached the sleeping compartment, they saw Bland on top of the woman, who was bleeding from the head. A bloodied razor blade was found inside the cabin. At some point during the confrontation, an officer discharged their weapon and shot Bland. The woman received medical attention for her injuries.
No officers were injured in the incident. Police are currently conducting an investigation and interviewing witnesses. They do not believe there are any other suspects or active threats in the surrounding area.
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This marks the 17th officer-involved shooting for IMPD in 2023, with 10 resulting in fatalities. The officers involved in the incident were equipped with body-worn cameras, and the footage will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
The officer who fired their weapon has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure during an officer-involved shooting investigation. IMPD Internal Affairs has also opened a separate investigation into the incident. The Use of Force Review Board will hold a mandatory hearing once the criminal process is completed.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
