Man leads police on multi-county chase, shoots himself

STARKE COUNTY -- A 57-year-old man is in the hospital after allegedly leading police on a multiple county chase Friday afternoon and shooting himself in the head.

A man called police at 3:48 Friday afternoon saying he was taken at gunpoint from Bailey’s Discount in Knox.

The suspect then allegedly carjacked  two more people and fled through LaPorte County, Porter County, and ended up in Lake County.

Once Porter County Police closed in on him, the suspect allegedly shot himself in the head.

He  was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Crown Point, and later airlifted to Christ Hospital in Illinois.

When police went to search his home they found the body of a woman.

Starke County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas A. Bourff said, "A search warrant has been requested and approved by Starke County Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall for the residence where the deceased female body was located as well as for the vehicles that were the subject of the alleged carjacking."

None of the carjacking victims were injured.

Police say the 57-year-old male suspect has not yet been charged.