Woman dies after officer-involved shooting in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - A woman died after an officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon in South Bend.

The shooting happened on Portage Avenue, just south of Cleveland Road.

Police said they were called just before 3:15 p.m. to the area of Portage and Cleveland from a mother requesting a welfare check on her daughter who was having a mental episode.

According to police, officers located the woman just before 3:30 p.m. Two minutes later, police said they received a call of shots fired.

The woman was taken to the hospital where she later died. She has not been identified.

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said one South Bend officer fired their weapon during the incident.

A large police presence — including St. Joseph County police, South Bend police, Mishawaka police and Indiana State Police — responded to the Phillips 66 on Portage Avenue. It is believed that one officer had fired their weapon during the encounter.

Indiana State Police said early review of surveillance footage shows the woman with a handgun prior to shots being fired by police.

Police said no officers were injured during the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Indiana State Police was requested to lead the investigation due to multiple agencies being involved. Police said the results of the investigation will be turned over to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office for review once it’s complete.

This incident was one of two officer-involved shootings in the Michiana area on Wednesday. A 45-year-old man was killed in an officer-involved shooting after an armed break-in and house fire in Cass County.

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