Feb. 5 (UPI) -- A man was killed in a gun battle with police that erupted after he pulled a firearm and shot two officers attempting to arrest him following a traffic stop early Sunday in southern Indiana.
The man, identified as 29-year-old Anthony Richmond of West Baden Springs, Ind., was pronounced dead en route to the hospital.
The two officers suffered non-life threatening gunshot wounds and are expected to make a full recovery.
Indiana State Police said in a statement that Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Rhoades, a five-year veteran of the force, pulled over a vehicle at 3:15 a.m. for an unspecified traffic violation in the 4800 block of SR 37 in Mitchell, a city located about 80 miles south of Indianapolis.
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A second sheriff's deputy with his K9 partner and a police officer from Mitchell arrived to assist with the traffic stop that "evolved" into a drug investigation after the dog indicated narcotics where in the vehicle after performing an open-air sniff test, it said.
A search of the vehicle produced drugs and as officers attempted to place handcuffs on Richmond, he attempted to flee the scene.
As officers in pursuit tried to physically restrain Richmond, he is accused of drawing a gun and opening fire on the officers at point-blank-range, hitting Rhoades twice and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson once.
Indiana State Police said at least one of the wounded officers returned fire, fatally striking Richmond.
"The incident was captured on the officers' body cameras and the footage is being reviewed by investigators," it said.
Both officers had been transferred via helicopter to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Rhoades has seen be released from medical care with Anderson, a three-year veteran of the Mitchell Police Department, remaining hospitalized in stable condition as of Sunday evening.
"I am extremely proud of the actions and response by officers from my office as well as our law enforcement and first responder partners," Lawrence County Sheriff Greg Day said. "I am very thankful deputy Rhoades and officer Anderson will make full recoveries and I am mindful that a family is mourning the loss of a loved one."
