MITCHELL – Lawrence County Prosecutor Sam Arp rules officer-involved shooting justified.
On Sunday, February 5, 2023, at around 3 a.m. officers from the Lawrence County Police Department and the Mitchell Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by 28-year-old Anthony Richmond, of West Baden.
The officers’ investigation revealed that Richmond was in possession of illegal drugs. Richmond fled on foot from the traffic stop in a westward direction, across the multiple-lane highway, and was pursued by three officers.
Once on the other side of the highway and near a billboard, the suspect engaged in a physical altercation with the officers and fired upon them using a handgun, striking Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Joshua Rhoades and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson.
Officer Anderson returned fire which struck and killed Richmond.
This incident was captured on video from the issued body cameras worn by Lawrence County Police Officers.
The Indiana State Police Department was notified and conducted an investigation of the incident. Several detectives and evidence technicians were assigned to the investigation. Additionally, Forensic Pathologist James Jacobi conducted an autopsy of Anthony Richmond.
On March 28, 2023, the Indiana State Police Department completed its investigation and submitted a case report for Prosecutor Sam Apr’s review. In addition to the report, Arp received a Certificate of Analysis from the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division that related to the functionality of all firearms involved in the incident as well as ammunition.
“After reviewing all of the evidence in this case, I have determined that the police action shooting was justified and the officer’s actions were appropriate given the situation,” said Arp. “I have given the Lawrence County Police Department the authorization to release the video that was captured by the officers’ issued body cameras.”
