Police responding to a chase Aug. 8 that ended in a crash at the busy intersection of U.S. 30 and Colorado Street didn't fire a single round as they apprehended suspects.
One of the suspects in the home invasion/robbery/car chase/crash fired at least 10 shots at officers before turning the gun on himself.
Miraculously, no police or civilians were injured in the rush-hour pursuit on the heavily traveled U.S. 30. Police credit that to new firearms training techniques taught to Hobart and Merrillville officers.
"It could have been a lot worse," Hobart Assistant Police Chief Vance Thompson said.
The new firearms techniques, which are being taught by Hobart lead firearms instructor Michael Mattel, have been put in place because of shooting incidents that gained national attention, such as in Colorado and Wisconsin.
"Under stress, an officer will revert to his or her highest level of training; that's why it's so important to train the way you're going to fight," Thompson said.
Mattel said he only began incorporating the new techniques a few months ago.
The techniques involve officers moving around with their weapons and not staying static or in one place.
"The techniques are geared to what will realistically happen when weapons are involved. We carry in a more aggressive position and engage targets more aggressively than in a static course, but with just as much safety," Mattel said.
The Aug. 8 chase that ended in Hobart started at 5:04 p.m. in Porter Township when a woman called Porter County police and reported four men had robbed her of guns and cash during a home invasion, police said.
The woman's neighbor, a Hammond firefighter, chased the men as they fled west on U.S. 30 and continued to stay in contact with police dispatch, officials said.
The suspects' car crashed at the Hobart intersection and the four men got out and started running. The Hammond firefighter was shot in the hand by one of the suspects, police said.
Shawn Duffy, 24, of Crown Point, who fired several rounds at law enforcement at the scene, shot and killed himself after the crash.
Dominick Fazzini, 23, of Peotone, Ill., was found hiding in a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant, and Michael Sprague, 24, of Gary, was apprehended by Merrillville Police Chief Joseph Petruch inside TGI Friday's restaurant, police said.
Jordan Wilkerson, 23, of Chicago, was found hiding under a car, police said.
All three men were charged Aug. 10 in Porter County court in connection with the robbery and home invasion.
Merrillville police monitored closely the incidents unfolding at the U.S. 30 scene, Merrillville police Cmdr. Jeff Snemis said.
"Initially the chase crossed the Porter County line into Merrillville and we're obviously involved. It's a chaotic set of circumstances," Snemis said.
Ultimately, nine agencies joined Hobart in responding, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Indiana State Police, Lake and Porter county sheriff's departments, Merrillville and Hammond police departments and the Department of Natural Resources.
Snemis said officers in Merrillville are trained at an indoor range with a virtual firearms training system that tests marksmanship and judgment in a number of scenarios.
In addition, officers are also given active shooter training for situations where the suspect may be shooting.
"Every bit of training helps. The more training an officer gets, the more helpful it is for other officers and the public," Snemis said.
Copyright 2012 - The Times, Munster, Ind.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
