South Bend Police officer injured in incident at bomb squad training bunker

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- A South Bend Police officer is in stable condition at an Indianapolis hospital after he was injured during a training exercise at the South Bend Bomb Squad training facility.

A call concerning the incident was made to St. Joseph County Dispatch at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday.

The officer who was injured, Sergeant Harvey Mills, was taken to Memorial Hospital for serious injuries.

He has since been flown to Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis for specialized care.

His step-daughter posted on ABC57's Facebook page that Mills suffered severe burns to his face, chest, and arms. In addition, she says his left arm is broken, as are both eye sockets.

Mills is expected to recover from his injuries.

The incident happened at a field off State Road 23 -- about 7 miles northeast of North Liberty -- that the bomb squad uses for training exercises and disposal. 

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski requested that the ATF take over the investigation to determine what caused the incident. 

Mayor Pete Buttigieg's office released a statement about Sgt. Mills, saying in part:

After visiting the ER this afternoon, the Mayor and Chief Ruszkowski would like to thank the medical staff at Memorial Hospital, especially Dr. Scott Thomas; the EMS personnel who responded to the scene; and Sgt. Mills' fellow police officers for their quick action and support for the officer and his family. The Mayor and Chief ask that residents keep the Mills and South Bend Police families in your thoughts, and please respect their privacy.