Weekend shooting was justified according to police chief

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE/AP) – Fort Wayne’s police chief said he believes an officer was justified in the weekend shooting of a man who ran off after the officer stopped the man’s mo-ped.

It happened around 9:00 p.m. at the corner of South Hanna and East Leith Streets Saturday night.

Police Chief Rusty York said he expects criminal charges will be filed against the man.

Police haven’t released the wounded man’s name, but said he was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries following the shooting Saturday night. At the scene, paramedics treated the man for the gunshot wounds and he was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

York told the Journal Gazette that the man had a gun in his hand and during the foot chase turned toward the officer, who then fired shots that hit the suspect in the arm and buttocks.

On scene, NewsChannel 15 saw officers using metal detectors both around the moped and in a backyard a few hundred feet away from the moped. Later, York said officers found a stolen handgun near where the man fell.

The man didn’t fire at the officer during the chase.

It's not clear why the moped was initially pulled over.

Some information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net