Woman who called police speaks on officer-involved shooting
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- “Today I was out there on the deck, I was talking to a friend,” said Kim Hooks-Kimble, a witness and resident at Palacio’s on Western Avenue. “[He] came out with a knife, came towards me, I ran in the house, I called 911, he tried to break in my side door, get in a little bit further, he took a hammer knocked the door knobs off and everything,” said Hook-Kimble.
An armed suspect and South Bend neighbors afraid for their life.
“Dispatchers said ‘just stay in’, I tried to stay as quiet as possible so he wouldn’t know I was still in there. Once they came, I went outside and started talking to them,” said Hooks-Kimble .
The woman who called police in a desperate cry for help recalls the bone-chilling moments that led up to a man being shot dead by a responding officer.
“He came out there with two knives, held them up like this to the officer and lunged at the officer and the officer told him several times put the knives down or I’m going to shoot you. He told him! Several times,” Hooks-Kimble
Not long after the suspect was shot, part of Western Avenue was blocked off and he was taken to the hospital where he later died.
Kim Hooks-Kimble tells ABC 57she’s a friend of the suspect and, according to her, he was dealing with a drug problem.
“I think that’s what took him over,” said Hooks-Kimble.
But regardless she says today hurts.
“I’ve never seen anybody like that before in my life it just freaked me out… really bad. I’m so so.. I mean it’s a little shaken up, I would never expect him to do anything like that so I am a little bit nervous,” said Hooks-Kimble.
And she can’t shake the images…
“I don’t know I just keep seeing him laying there, I don’t have anything going through my head anymore. I can’t even think of anything else at this present time.” Hooks-Kimble
According Hooks-Kimble, that wasn’t the first time police had been there Thursday. She says called police here before it happened because she says that same suspect had been taunting residents in this building before that.
St. Joseph County Metro Homicide is leading the investigation at this time as standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.
Detectives recovered two knives and two shell casings from the scene. The name of the suspect is being withheld while detectives contact family. An autopsy will be conducted at 9:00 a.m. in Fort Wayne. Stay with ABC 57 News for the latest details on those results and details in the investigation.
OTHER WITNESS ACCOUNTS: