Police: Man shot dead by Lawrence officer produced weapon

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - An auto theft suspect fatally shot by an officer had produced a weapon at the end of a brief, high-speed pursuit, suburban Indianapolis police said Friday.

Three people were in the suspected stolen vehicle Thursday afternoon when the driver fled from a traffic stop, Lawrence Police said in a news release.

The driver at one point slowed down and two passengers got out and surrendered, were interviewed and then released, police said.

The pursuit ended on the east side of Indianapolis after the man lost control of the vehicle and it came to a stop, police said.

'œAs officers converged on the driver of the vehicle, he initially refused to comply with officers' directions to surrender, and instead produced a weapon,'ť the news release said.

One Lawrence officer shot the suspect one time, police said.

The weapon the man produced was later found inside the vehicle, but police have not said what that weapon is.

The suspect was taken to a hospital but later died. The Marion County Coroner's Office identified him as Carlos Trotter, 36. It said the cause of death was a gunshot wound and ruled the death a homicide.

No police officers were injured in the incident.

The officer who shot the man has been placed on temporary modified/administrative duty assignment pending the outcome of the investigation and an administrative review, police said.