Suspect fatally shot by Gary police after attacking officer with machete: officials

GARY, Ind. - A 21-year-old man was shot and killed by Gary police after attacking an officer with a machete during an undercover operation, authorities said.

The incident happened at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday in the 3400 block of Maryland Street.

Police were conducting an operation involving an undercover officer in response to a surge of robberies linked to social media marketplace exchanges.

The department had received several reports of robberies since October, prompting the operation to apprehend the suspect.

The undercover officer, a 32-year veteran, approached the suspect to complete an exchange. During the interaction, the situation escalated, and the suspect attacked the officer with a machete, Gary police said.

Nearby officers witnessed the attack, and one of them fired at the suspect. The suspect was struck by gunfire and later died from his injuries at a hospital, police said.

The officer was injured in the attack and taken to a hospital, where they are in stable condition.

The suspect was identified by the Lake County Coroner's Office as 21-year-old Shahaud Richmond. His cause of death was gunshot wounds, but toxicology results are pending.

The officer involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's Department.