MICHIGAN CITY, IN—Indiana State Police released the identification of the suspect and trooper involved in a shooting that occurred early Friday at a gas station along U.S. 421.

The suspect, who was reportedly found deceased after a multi-agency manhunt, was identified as Kevin W. Meyers, 54, of LaPorte. The LaPorte County Coroner said an autopsy is scheduled for 7 a.m. Saturday.

ISP spokesman Glen Fifield said the trooper was shot multiple times in an exchange of gunfire with Meyers. He said the injured trooper was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

"He's currently, right now, in surgery," Fifield said Friday morning. "I can report that he's in good spirits at the moment, and he's in stable condition. So that's the positive thing in this right now."

The trooper was identified as ISP Sgt. Justin Heflin, a 12-year veteran of the ISP and also served in the United States Marine Corps. Fifield confirmed that Heflin underwent a successful surgery.

"He is currently in stable condition and is surrounded by family," Fifield said Friday evening.

Following the shooting, Fifield said police pursued Meyers to a wooded area near the intersection of Joliet and Wozniak roads near the town of Westville, or about five miles south of where the shooting took place.

At one point, some 100 officers, including multiple tactical teams from various Region police agencies, were at that location searching for Meyers.

Fifield said additional gunshots were fired by Meyers at that location, but no other police officers were shot or injured in the search near Westville.

"The suspect has been located deceased. There is no ongoing threat to the community," Fifield said. "He did have injuries consistent with that of gunshot wounds. The cause of death will obviously be determined by the LaPorte County coroner."

Fifield said Meyers was driving a silver Ford F-150 that allegedly was stolen from Berrien County, Michigan.

Fifield said Berrien County sheriff's police first spotted the suspected stolen vehicle around 5:30 a.m. and pursued it onto county roads and through cornfields in LaPorte County until Meyers managed to get away.

Heflin subsequently spotted the vehicle on I-94 and followed it onto U.S. 421 and into the gas station, where Meyers allegedly drove the pickup truck into the state trooper's vehicle, Fifield said.

"The suspect proceeded to shoot at our trooper, and our trooper sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Our trooper returned fire multiple times as the suspect fled," Fifield said.

The vehicle was located by the Lake County Sheriff's Department aviation unit around 9:16 a.m. in a treeline near Westville, prompting the extensive search that included police aviation, drone, camera and K-9 resources.

Fifield reported at 11:15 a.m. that Meyers was found dead. He declined to indicate whether Meyers died from wounds sustained in the shooting at the Speedway or whether it was self-inflicted; Fifield said that will be up to the coroner to determine.

"We are not looking for any other suspects. He was the only suspect in this incident," Fifield said.

Fifield told reporters outside the Speedway that he anticipates an extensive investigation will follow.

The shooting comes seven weeks after LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Samuelson was injured in a shooting — also on a Friday morning — inside Franciscan Health Michigan City hospital, allegedly by a man that Samuelson had gone out of his way to help.

The hospital is approximately a half mile north of the Speedway gas station where the state trooper was shot.

Another Indiana State Police Trooper, Benjamin Beers, was injured May 26 after being shot in the chest after pulling over a Hyundai Elantra on the eastbound Borman Expressway near the Indianapolis Boulevard exit in Hammond following an alleged speeding violation.

Fifield said it's unfortunate these shootings and potential tragedies keep happening and noted the law enforcement profession is hurting.

"These are hard times. Hard, difficult times. And our thoughts are with each one of those officers that have been shot here recently," Fifield said.

State Rep. Randy Novak, D- Michigan City, whose Indiana House district includes the sites of the two LaPorte County police officer shootings, agreed — "This has to stop."

"Our law enforcement officers wake up every day knowing the risks that come with the badge, and they show up anyway. Behind every badge is a person with a family waiting for them to come home. Deputy Samuelson's story reminds us that even an act of kindness, helping a stranded motorist, can put an officer in harm's way. When one of them is shot in the line of duty, the entire community feels it, and their families feel it most of all," Novak said.

"I am grateful for the first responders and medical personnel caring for the state trooper injured today, and for every officer who continues to serve LaPorte County despite these dangers. To them I say: We see you, we are grateful for you and we will not accept violence against you as normal. Two shootings in two months is two too many."

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