Indianapolis Metro Police Department has released an edited video of an incident that occurred on October 19th, where an officer shot at a man in the near south side of Indianapolis. The release of the video came shortly after the department stated that it was unable to do so due to a court order. The incident took place at a Speedway gas station near East Raymond Street. Officers were at the gas station for an unrelated strong-armed robbery investigation when they were informed that a man in a white Chevrolet sedan in the parking lot had an active arrest warrant.
In the edited bodycam video, officers can be heard shouting at the man, later identified as 38-year-old Antoine Beech, not to reach for a gun that they claim to have seen within his reach. However, neither the bodycam nor the surveillance video shows the gun or Beech reaching for it. According to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department, Beech began reaching for the gun with his right hand on his left side, prompting an officer to fire a shot. Beech was injured in his right hand and chest and was taken to Eskenazi Hospital, where he was described as stable.
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Beech’s attorney expressed disappointment that Officer Thomas’ body-worn camera was not operational during the encounter, as it would have provided an impartial record of the events. The attorney raised doubts about the reasonableness of Officer Thomas’ actions and stated that they would vigorously defend Beech’s rights.
On November 7th, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office charged Beech with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. No officers or civilians were injured during the incident, and a gun was found inside the car where Beech was seated. Beech had two active warrants for his arrest, one for a probation violation and the other for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
The Indianapolis Metro Police Department’s Critical Incident Response Team and Internal Affairs are conducting investigations into the incident. Officer Ryan Thomas, who fired his gun, has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the IMPD Homicide Office or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.
