An Indianapolis man is facing 10 charges, nearly all felonies, after police say he exchanged gunfire with officers late January on the northeast side of the city.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Christian Myers, 22, with attempted murder, possession of a machine gun, resisting law enforcement and more battery-related charges, according to online court records.
The filing comes days after the Jan. 29 police shooting that occurred in the 5800 block of Winding Way Lane.
Why police wanted to apprehend Christian Myers
A probable cause affidavit states police were trying to take Myers into custody at the time of the shooting after his child’s mother reported hours earlier that he shot at them in Broad Ripple.
The woman told officers that Myers, her ex-boyfriend, had attacked a male friend she was out with for her 21st birthday. Thinking he was going to kill them, the woman and her friends ran away, dropping the items they carried, she said. They returned not long later to collect their belongings only to again encounter Myers, who fired one shot at them and drove away in a black Hyundai. The bullet struck the front bumper of a vehicle the woman was using, police said in the affidavit.
The woman told police Myers had their 3-year-old daughter, and she was the custodial parent. Worrying about the child’s safety, police tried to place an emergency ping on Myers’ cellphone but were unsuccessful.
Nearly 12 hours after the shots fired call, the woman told police Myers had contacted her to set up a time and place to return their daughter.
Police chase started at Fall Creek Parkway gas station
The affidavit said undercover officers set up surveillance at the gas station where Myers wanted the exchange to happen in the 3800 block of Fall Creek Parkway. After Myers gave the woman their daughter, police said they tried to quickly take him into custody but the 22-year-old got into his car and drove away.
Myers drove northbound until he lost control and crashed into another car near the intersection of Binford Boulevard and Kessler Boulevard East Drive. Police said he got out of the driver’s seat, handgun at his right side, and ran. Another man in the passenger seat also ran from officers.
Video surveillance showed the man in the passenger seat surrendered to police not long after the chase began. When later asked by police why he ran, he said he panicked.
Myers, the affidavit said, ran until he reached a green electrical box where he appeared to stop and rest. That’s when shots were fired.
A detective who was approaching the foot chase from another direction said he saw one man put his hands up and surrender. The other man, he said, stopped at the green electrical box, raised his gun and fired at the detective. The detective said they saw a fired casing eject from the handgun.
The investigator returned fire, the affidavit said.
Who are the police officers involved in shooting with Christian Myers?
Indianapolis police have identified the three officers involved in the shooting as 3-year veteran Zachary Boston, 15-year veteran Andrew Girt and 3-year veteran Officer Jacob Liebhauser. The department had not released bodycam video of the shooting as of Wednesday morning.
Myers was taken to a hospital for his gunshot injuries. The other man was also taken to a hospital after reporting chest pain from the chase. Police have not announced charges against him.
Investigators said they found a pistol in the grass where Myers was apprehended. They also found a Glock switch, which is a device that allows a semi-automatic Glock pistol to fire like an automatic weapon.
He’s scheduled to appear in court Feb. 9.