Suspects revealed in officer shooting

WATERLOO, Ind. (WANE) - WATERLOO, Ind. (WANE) -- Police officers shot and killed one suspect and another is in critical condition after the two shot a Waterloo police officer in the face around 3:00 a.m. Thursday.

The suspect killed was identified by DeKalb County Coroner Jeff Warner, as Ralph Daniel Hardiek, 41, of Auburn. He died at the scene from his wounds. The woman, Julie Marie King, 33, of Auburn, is in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital.

The suspects were on the loose, but were found under a deck of a nearby home around 6:15 a.m.

The officer, who was identified by Indiana State Police as Deputy Marshal Stephen Brady, 47, of Pleasant Lake is in serious condition at a Fort Wayne hospital.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Ron Galaviz said just before 3:00 a.m. the couple showed up at a home asking for assistance after their vehicle was stuck in a ditch.  The homeowner then called police alerting them of the couple's need for help.

Police began searching and found them at Railroad and Center Streets in Waterloo.

At that time, an officer was shot in the face; although it's still unclear what prompted the shooting.

After asking for the public's help in finding the suspects, around 6 a.m. a citizen in the 200 block of South Center Street called saying there were two people hiding under his deck. When officers arrived, they found the two underneath the deck as reported.

Indiana State Police said they told the suspects to come out and show their hands, when they refused to obey the officers’ commands they used a taser to gain compliance.

Officials said Hardiek rolled over and pointed a gun at the officers. Officers fired shots hitting both him and the female suspect.

Brady, a 13-year veteran of the Waterloo Police Department got through surgery and is now in intensive care.  His wife Jan, who is also a Waterloo officer, was not on duty when her husband was shot.