MUNCIE – The Muncie Police Department has requested the Indiana State Police to conduct an independent investigation into an officer-involved shooting that occurred this morning.
Preliminary investigations determined that at approximately 2:17 a.m., Muncie Police officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of W. Oaklyn Avenue for a report of a male attempting to force entry into a residence. Officers arrived on scene and contacted the male suspect, who was later identified as James Patrick Willis, 51, of Muncie. During the interaction with police, it is reported that Willis attempted to flee in his 2003 Chevrolet pickup by driving directly at a Muncie Police Officer. The officer fired his department-issued sidearm and struck Willis at least once during the encounter. After the shooting, Willis continued to flee from the scene in the pickup, where he later crashed in the area of S. Tillotson Avenue and W. Godman Avenue, and was pronounced deceased.
Upon completion of the investigation, all findings will be submitted to the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
The Indiana State Police was assisted on scene by the Muncie Police Department, the Delaware County Coroner’s Office, and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office.
Further information will be released as it becomes available.
