CHICAGO (CBS) — Police in Gary, Indiana, shot and killed a suspect Wednesday afternoon who allegedly attacked an officer during an undercover sting operation.
Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon said officers conducted an undercover operation in the 3400 block of Maryland around 12:20 a.m. as part of an investigation into a series of robberies that stemmed from false sales on social media.
During the operation, the suspect attempted to rob an undercover officer and attacked him with a machete-like weapon. Another officer shot the suspect, a 21-year-old man, who was taken into custody and taken to a hospital.
Lake County sheriff’s officials said the suspect later died.
The undercover officer, a 32-year veteran of the force, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.
Gary police said they are investigating whether anyone else may have been involved in the social media market robberies.
“This is now time for the holidays, and during the holidays we unfortunately have incidents similar to this one. “We want to make sure the public is aware that we are diligent and vigilant about investigating these crimes and making sure we hold people accountable for these types of crimes,” Cannon said.
Gary police spokeswoman Erika Blackwell said anyone purchasing something through a social media marketplace should arrange to meet in a well-lit public place and should not go alone.
“You should bring a friend; a trusted friend or family member. Let someone else know where you are going so that if something happens, you have someone to look out for you,” she said.
Blackwell also recommended that anyone purchasing through social media check the seller’s profile for negative reviews and use secure payment methods such as mobile payment apps instead of cash.
