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Last updated on Monday, March 12, 2018
(HELTONVILLE) - A Norman man is behind bars, while another recovers from a gunshot wound to his hip.
Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham says that the suspect, 20-year-old Wyatt Blackwell of Norman, surrendered to police.
Blackwell is being held at the Lawrence County Jail on a Level 3 felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon. He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond and remains in jail as of Monday morning.
The incident began at 4:57 p.m. Sunday at a home at 5476 State Road 58 East.
Police received a 911 call reported shots fired and one person was injured. An off-duty officer was in the area and arrived on the scene within minutes.
Sheriff Branham says a 36-year-old man suffered a gunshot to his hip.
"The bullet went through and through," Sheriff Branham says. "It didn't hit bone or any organs. He was taken from the scene by an IU Health Hospital ambulance and then to IU Health Bloomington Hospital for treatment."
Police say that the victim did know the shooter yet at this time police do not know why Blackwell shot the victim.
"The two worked together at Blackwell," Sheriff Branham says. "We are continuing to interview witnesses this morning and determine a motive."
The victim was at the home on State Road 58 helping a friend round up some horses that got loose when Blackwell came on the scene riding a Polaris ATV yelling "I am going to blow someone's head off," Sheriff Branham says.
"He then fired several shots with one striking the victim," he added.
Blackwell then fled the scene.
Deputies set up a perimeter and began searching for Blackwell. Four conservation officers assisted in the search while Indiana State Police troopers and Mitchell Police officers assisted handling calls for the county.
"We were able to ping Mr. Blackwell's cell phone and found him in the area of Blackwell's farm and business on Hunter's Creek Road and State Road 446," Sheriff Branham says. "We had officers saturate the area. Mr. Blackwell's father contacted his son on the cellphone and talked him into giving himself up."
Blackwell had driven the ATV up into the forest to a cabin owned by the family.
"It was located in the forest and it took a while for Mr. Blackwell to arrive to the farm to surrender," Sheriff Branham says.
Police secured search warrants for the cabin and the Blackwell farm.
"We are not sure which weapon he used at this time, because there were several weapons located at the cabin along with body armor," Sheriff Branham says. "We also located the Polaris at the cabin."
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