SALEM, Ind. – On Wednesday, July 3, around 2 p.m., the Indiana State Police (ISP) in Sellersburg were dispatched to the area of the Washington County Fairgrounds in Salem, after a report of an officer-involved shooting involving Salem city police officers.
The initial evidence and investigation reveal that shortly before 2 p.m., two Salem Police Department officers arrived on fairgrounds property to investigate a suspicious person call involving a male subject. They eventually located the suspect, Mark Naugle, 53, of Scottsburg, standing in the creek which borders the property. During the encounter, Naugle allegedly approached the officers holding a hammer and refused to drop it, despite repeated commands from law enforcement. ISP says one of the Salem Police Department officers supposedly fired at Naugle, striking and killing him.
Both officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is customary in police-involved shootings. The investigation is ongoing. An autopsy will be performed and more information will be released as it becomes available.
