BLOOMINGTON – Law enforcement officials apprehended four individuals, including three juveniles, on Wednesday afternoon following a series of alarming incidents involving a silver hatchback car with occupants reportedly waving a gun at bystanders across Bloomington and the Indiana University campus.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) first responded to a call at 11:50 AM in the 8900 block of West Reeves Road, where a silver hatchback was seen driving around with four occupants who were allegedly waving a firearm and pointing it at people nearby.
Less than an hour later, at 12:46 p.m., another incident involving the exact vehicle was reported at the Crane Federal Credit Union on Jonathan Drive. In this instance, the occupants reportedly waved a gun at a pedestrian.
The concerning behavior continued within city limits, as the Bloomington City Police Department (BPD) received a call reporting a similar act at Lowe’s on Gates Drive.
While both the MCSO and BPD were actively searching for the vehicle, Monroe County Central Dispatch (MCCD) received further reports that the silver hatchback was brandishing a firearm near the intersection of West 3rd Street and Patterson Drive. Multiple calls then came in describing the vehicle driving around the Indiana University campus, specifically in the vicinity of East Atwater Avenue near the IU School of Optometry and other campus locations.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., a Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy located the suspect vehicle as it passed the Bloomington City Police Department. The Deputy followed the car, awaiting the arrival of backup officers and a safer, less congested area to conduct a high-risk traffic stop.
Deputies successfully executed the high-risk stop on West 3rd Street and Cory Lane. All four occupants of the vehicle were detained without any further incident, and the roadway was reopened to traffic approximately seven minutes later.
The driver of the vehicle, along with the three juvenile passengers, was detained for the ongoing investigation. During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered a black Glock-branded CO2-powered handgun inside the vehicle.
All four individuals have been referred to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office for potential charges. The investigation into these incidents remains active.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who the occupants of the silver hatchback may have victimized to come forward. If you were approached or threatened by individuals in this vehicle, please get in touch with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at 812-349-2781.
