4 Indianapolis SWAT officers shot; suspect killed

Four Indianapolis police officers were shot Wednesday night while trying to serve a search warrant for drugs at a Near-Eastside home.

None was seriously injured.

Their protective vests likely saved their lives, police said.

The officers from Special Weapons and Tactics came under fire from a suspect, Andrew Sizemore, 27, of Indianapolis, who was killed in the gunbattle about 7:41 p.m. in the home in the 1600 block of South State Avenue, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Investigators found drugs and other evidence in the house, police said Thursday morning.

Officers had knocked on the door and were preparing to enter when Sizemore began firing from inside the house. There were four other people inside the house, and none of them was injured.

One officer was treated at the scene of the shooting and released, said Sgt. Kendale Adams, an IMPD spokesman. Shortly before 11 p.m., two officers remained at IU Health Methodist Hospital and one was at Eskenazi Hospital. Their injuries were not life-threatening but were continuing to be evaluated.

Police Chief Rick Hite said Sizemore refused to surrender to police. Hite said police acted professionally and were responding to a tip to serve a warrant to residents of a home that was "known to sell drugs in the neighborhood."

"We're sorry about the loss of life," he said. "But you cannot sell drugs and do violence in this city and not expect police to do something about it."

IMPD Lt. Chris Bailey said the officers came under fire as they approached the home in the working-class neighborhood of mostly single-story houses.

"As they were serving their warrant, the suspect inside the house fired at SWAT team officers," Bailey said. "They returned fire. The suspect was killed at the scene."

Bailey said the officers were injured either by direct gunshots or from bullets ricocheting off other surfaces.

There were other people inside the house, but police were not saying whether any of them were children.

Officer Christopher Wilburn said police were relieved that the officers were not more seriously hurt.

"We're just glad that the officers are OK," he said. "Their vests did the job."

Indianapolis has been wracked by a tide of recent violence, including eight homicides that occurred in a 15-hour period Feb. 20-21. Among the victims were four people fatally shot in a home on South Parker Avenue during a robbery of a suspected drug dealer.

The city recorded 141 homicides in 2013, the most since 2006.

Hite credited a citizen's tip for helping police in their investigation of the home where the SWAT officers were shot.

"We need your help," Hite said. "We've got to rid the city of this violence."

Call Star reporter Diana Penner at (317) 444-6249. Follow her on Twitter: @dianapenner.