Suspect fatally shot after attacking undercover officer during sting operation | Law Enforcement Today

GARY, IN- Gary Police Department officers shot and killed a suspect who allegedly attacked an officer during an undercover sting operation on Wednesday.

According to CBS News, GPD Chief Derrick Cannon said that around 12:20 p.m., officers were conducting an undercover operation in the 3400 block of Maryland Street as part of an ongoing investigation into a string of robberies stemming from fake social media marketplace sales. During the operation, the suspect tried to rob an undercover officer and attacked him with a machete-style weapon.

Another officer shot the suspect, who is 21-years-old. The suspect was taken into custody and transported to a nearby hospital. The suspect, according to Lake County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) later died and has been identified as Shahuad Richmond. The undercover officer, a 32-year veteran of the force, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery.

ABC7 reported that the mother of the suspect has not heard from GPD and still has been unable to see her son's body. The mother alleges that what GPD has said about the incident is a lie. She said she has seen surveillance video of the incident and claims that the police narrative is not true. She also said that her son was not armed with a machete. 

She said her son was selling a PlayStation video game to make money for his growing family. She said, "All I know is the officer did not exchange the money and he took the game. He begins to take off to provoke my son. So what does my son do? What would you do if someone stole something from you? You reach out and hit him."

LCSO will be leading the investigation into the shooting incident. GPD is investigating whether anyone else might have been involved in the social media marketplace robberies. Cannon said, "This is now time for the holiday season, and during the holiday season, unfortunately, we have incidents that occur similar to this. 

We want to make sure that the public is aware that we are diligent and vigilant in reference to investigating these crimes and making sure that we hold people accountable to these types of crimes."

GPD spokeswoman Erika Blackwell said anyone buying something through social media marketplaces should arrange for a meeting in a well-lit public place and should not go alone. She said, "You should bring a friend; a trusted friend or family member with you. Let somebody else know where you're going, so that if something happens, you have somebody who's looking out for you."

Blackwell also recommended anyone buying something through social media to check the seller's profile for negative reviews, and to use secure payment methods such as mobile payment apps instead of cash.