On Monday, May 6, Randolph County Sheriff Art Moystner requested Indiana State Police investigate a police action shooting by the Union City Police Department.
At 6:56 a.m., the Randolph County 911 Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call concerning a suspicious subject hiding in the bushes of a home in the 100 block of Pleasant Drive in Union City, Indiana. Union City officers were subsequently dispatched to the scene.
Union City officers arrived on scene at approximately 6:58 a.m. Upon approaching the residence, officers were immediately fired upon by the suspect, who was hidden in the bushes of the southeast corner of the residence, according to an ISP news release.
Officers immediately sought cover and returned gunfire in the suspects directions. Other officers responded to the area and a perimeter was immediately put into place around the residence. As a precaution, all Randolph Eastern School Corporation schools were placed on lock down.
The Randolph County SWAT team arrived shortly thereafter and located the suspect unresponsive in the bushes where he was last seen. It was determined that the suspect was deceased. After officers located the deceased suspect, all Randolph County Eastern Schools were allowed to resume all normal day-to-day operations.
Police announced Tuesday that the suspect involved in Monday’s police action shooting in Union City has been positively identified as Michael R. Evans, age 38, of Union City, Ohio.
On Wednesday morning, police said an autopsy was performed Tuesday, with preliminary results of the autopsy indicatating that Evans died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. There was no indication of any other gunshot wounds or trauma to Evans.
This investigation remains ongoing. Once the investigation is complete, all information will be turned over to the Randolph County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Departments assisting with the investigation include Union City Police Department, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Randolph County Coroner’s Office, Union City Ohio Police Department, Winchester Police Department, Lynn Police Department, and Union City Fire Department.