Indianapolis police shoot, kill man after SWAT standoff, shootout

Jen Guadarrama, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·3 min read
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Update: On April 5, 2024 IMPD identified the officers in this case as 4-year veteran officer Maverick Bowen and 8-year veteran officer Dustin Bland and 10-year veteran officer Vincent Marshall.

INDIANAPOLIS — A man is dead after a standoff and shootout on the city's west side.

The situation started with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responding to a call shortly before 7:30 p.m. Sunday about a man firing shots into the air near West 33rd Street and Georgetown Road.

Witnesses gave officers a description of the man — identified by the Marion County Coroner's Office as 31-year-old Luis Duran-Ruano — and the car he was driving. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, leading to a short pursuit.

The pursuit ended outside a home in the 3200 block of Winton Avenue, where Duran-Ruano exited the car. Officers saw him hold the firearm to his head.

Indianapolis police shot and killed a man after a standoff and shootout that began unfolding about 7:30 p.m. March 31, 2024 in the 3200 block of Winton Avenue. Police said they found a firearm next to the man.
Indianapolis police shot and killed a man after a standoff and shootout that began unfolding about 7:30 p.m. March 31, 2024 in the 3200 block of Winton Avenue. Police said they found a firearm next to the man.

Officers requested Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and a sergeant began communicating with Duran-Ruano, trying to de-escalate, build rapport, and get him to put the gun down, a police news release stated.

"After about an hour, the man left the porch and began walking southbound. At that point, SWAT officers utilized less lethal launchers. The suspect then fired shots and three officers returned fire," police said.

SWAT medics rendered aid to Duran-Ruano who died at Eskenazi Hospital.

No officers were hurt.

The officers were equipped with body-worn cameras, which were activated, police said. A drone also was deployed, giving officers an additional view of the scene.

Indianapolis police shot and killed a man after a standoff and shootout that began unfolding about 7:30 p.m. March 31, 2024 in the 3200 block of Winton Avenue. Police said they found a firearm next to the man.
Indianapolis police shot and killed a man after a standoff and shootout that began unfolding about 7:30 p.m. March 31, 2024 in the 3200 block of Winton Avenue. Police said they found a firearm next to the man.

An investigation into the police officers' actions is underway by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, the IMPD Critical Incident Response Team, IMPD Internal Affairs and the civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board. The officers who fired their guns have been placed on administrative leave as is standard procedure.

The shooting capped a violent weekend for Indianapolis, which saw seven minors between ages 12 and 17 shot downtown near the intersection of Illinois and Maryland streets.

"It's been an extremely difficult weekend for our community and our police department and I want to acknowledge that right up front," said Chief Christopher Bailey during a news briefing from the scene on Winton Avenue. "Another family is left mourning and officers are dealing with having to use (deadly) force, when no officer leaves their house wanting to do that."

Bailey praised his officers who fielded violent calls throughout the weekend and pushed for solutions.

"We have a long way to go as a community. The only way we are going to get to the point where we don't see this violence on — what seems like — an every night basis is if we work together to find solutions that steer people away from conflict, especially conflict that ends with the use of a gun and taking of a life, which is unnecessary," Bailey said.

This is the third shooting involving an Indianapolis police officer since the start of 2024.

On March 24 two off-duty officers were involved in a shooting while working security at a nightclub at 11:11 Bar & Grille, 9439 E. Washington St. State alcohol regulators shut down an east side bar days after the shooting that injured six people, including an officer.

On Jan. 24 police were attempting to take Raphael Nafees Dekemper, 48, into custody on a warrant for charges of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, criminal recklessness, pointing a firearm and invasion of privacy during a "high-risk traffic stop." Officers found Dekemper getting into the passenger side of a vehicle in the 2600 block of Brookside Parkway North Drive and say he fired at them while they tried taking him into custody.

In 2023 police were involved in 17 shootings that killed or injured someone.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Sgt. Brian Lambert at the homicide office at 317-327-3475.  Alternatively, anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 317-262-TIPS.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police shoot, kill man after SWAT standoff, shootout