LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Indiana State Police are investigating a deadly shooting in Harrison County that left two dead and a Palmyra police officer injured on Monday.
ISP Sgt. Carey Huls said around 9:30 p.m. on May 16, a Palmyra officer responded to reports of a Ford Escape that had stopped on SR 135 just south of Palmyra, about a block from Morgan Elementary School.
Police said the car was driven by Justin Moore, 31, of Owensboro, Ky.
Shortly after the officer arrived, police said Jacob McClanahan, a volunteer firefighter, and his coworker arrived to assist the officer with directing traffic.
According to ISP, after discussing with Moore what to do with the vehicle, which had allegedly run out of gas, it was decided that a tow truck would be called.
ISP said that bodycam footage shows the officer asking Moore if he had any guns. Moore told the officer he only had a knife, which the officer asked him to place back into his vehicle.
According to Harrison County Prosecutor Otto Schalk, as soon as Moore reached back into the vehicle, he pulled out a shotgun and immediately began firing at the officer, missing him by only a few inches.
The officer and McClanahan began to retreat and Moore fired a second round fatally wounding the volunteer firefighter.
ISP said that the officer fired back striking and killing Moore.
Schalk said the shooting was captured by the officer's body cam, an in-car dash camera and a doorbell camera from a nearby home.
"I have watched this body cam footage more times than I'd like to try and make sense of a senseless killing," Schalk said. "In a civilized and decent society people shouldn't be killed for simply helping out."
Schalk said it was clear in the footage that Moore may have been agitated during the stop, but "there was nothing that would have ever indicated that he was about to attempt to kill multiple people."
Schalk said his heart breaks for McClanahan's family, "he wasn't just a firefighter, he was somebody's son."
"His legacy should not be defined by his final moments, rather he should be remembered for having a servant's heart," Schalk said. "[McClanahan] died doing what he was known to do: helping others."
Huls said there was no evidence that the attack was pre-planned.
As for Moore's motive, police said they aren't sure why Moore pulled out a shotgun and began firing. They also aren't sure why Moore was in Harrison County to begin with.
"It was absolutely unexplainable why this happened," Schalk said.
ISP said the Palmyra officer was taken to Harrison County Hospital for a minor injury that was "nothing more than just a minor scrape." Police said the officer is on a leave of absence as is protocol.
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