Police chase caught on camera Monday, two teenage boys arrested

 

MISHAWAKA, Ind.-- Two teenage boys, 15 and 16 years old, are behind bars after running from police, who were canvassing an area in Mishawaka yesterday, for shots fired.  

In a video shared by a Nappanee mom walking with her three children along Mishawaka’s riverfront Monday, someone is seen sprinting toward the river in Central Park, followed by two squad cars with sirens blaring. 

“I probably would have whipped my phone out because I don’t think anyone would have believed that actually happened without video evidence,” said park regular Brett Hammond.

“I honestly wouldn’t even know how to react. I’d be shocked, obviously, because that’s so unexpected just on a daily walk, especially with how often I come here and experience nothing like that,” said park regular Angelina Petsovich.

According to the Mishawaka Police Department, officers were responding to a call of shots fired at Cedar and E. Mishawaka but didn’t find evidence of a shooting. However, while canvassing the area, they found what they considered suspicious people.

“Two males wearing masks and hoods,” said Sergeant Steve Headley with the Mishawaka Police Department. “When the two males saw the police arrive on scene, they split up and took off running in different directions.”

One was quickly taken into custody, police said, while the other sprinted to Central Park.  

“If a person, upon seeing a police officer, immediately takes off running, we have reason to believe they are up to no good,” Headley said, “and so we can chase and we can apprehend and sort things out.”

Police said the teenage boy was armed with a handgun during the pursuit, which he seemingly tossed into the river before being arrested.

“When it comes to weapons and stuff like that, I kind of do understand it to a certain extent but it definitely is, like I said, shocking and unexpected,” Petsovich said, “But, they’re just doing their job, so it is what it is I guess.”

“I feel like it’s probably an overreaction for what was actually going on,” Hammond said. “There’s a lot of people, a lot of animals, a lot of families that are out here all the time. So what’s to say they would just not see somebody when they were chasing their perp and hurt somebody?”

“We weren’t sneaking up on anybody, the vehicles that were in the park had their emergency lights and siren activated,” Headley said. “We are required to drive with what’s called ‘due regard,’ to take into account the safety of the general public and anybody and everybody that’s around.”

Law enforcement is still working to recover the gun, and ABC57 is still working to find out what charges the teen suspects could face in connection to this case.