CLAYTON – At the request of the Plainfield Police Chief, the Indiana State Police is investigating a shooting involving officers from the Plainfield Police Department that happened in Clayton. The information below is preliminary.
Wednesday morning, officers from the Plainfield Police Department, with support from other area agencies, were following up on a bank robbery investigation. They had identified a suspect and obtained an arrest warrant for the man. Just before noon, April 22, 2026, the officers spotted the suspect driving a vehicle in Clayton. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspect fled. One of the Plainfield Police vehicles in the pursuit was equipped with a vehicle immobilization device commonly referred to as a grappler. The device was deployed and successfully attached to the back of the suspect’s vehicle, bringing it to a controlled stop on U.S. 40 in Clayton.
The suspect got out of the vehicle armed with a handgun and fled on foot. Officers pursued the man into a grassy area behind a building on the south side of U.S. 40. Officers were able to contain the man to an area, and he stopped running. For nearly 20 minutes, officers communicated with the man, attempting to negotiate a peaceful surrender. The interaction eventually led to officers firing their weapons at the man. After the suspect was struck by the gunfire, officers immediately rendered emergency medical aid. The man was transported by ambulance to an Indianapolis hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The suspect was identified as 54-year-old Dustin R. Horwoth of Clayton, Indiana.
Indiana State Police Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene to collect evidence and document the crime scene. The involved officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.
The criminal acts mentioned above are alleged and all suspects are considered innocent until and unless proven guilty in court. This remains an active and ongoing investigation and there is no further information to release at this time. Per Plainfield Police Department Policy and standard protocol, the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.
