A man holding a knife to a woman was shot and killed by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer on the south side of the city Thursday evening, according to Assistant Chief Chris Bailey.
A caller to 911 reported a woman screaming for help inside a semi truck parked near a fast food restaurant, the Indy Star reports.
"Officers in full uniform knocked on the door and observed a man come out from behind the curtain that separates the driving compartment from the sleeping compartment," Bailey said. The man stared at police and then went back behind the curtain.
Bailey said officers heard a woman screaming for help in the back of the cab.
Within minutes, a lieutenant who had arrived on the scene decided to break the window of the truck, Bailey said. The lieutenant communicated with the man, who made statements such as, “I’m going to kill her,” “I got a knife to her throat,” and “You’re gonna die,” according to police.
After negotiations failed, an officer fired a single shot, killing the man inside the cab. The man was later identified as 60-year-old Lamont Bland.
"Tonight, this officer saved a woman's life," Bailey said.
The woman, who had received multiple cuts, was treated at the scene. A bloodied razor blade was later found inside the sleeping cabin.
