BROWNSTOWN — The names of two Brownstown police officers involved in Wednesday’s shooting that left a 53-year-old man dead have been released.
Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, public information officer for the Indiana State Police post at Versailles, said Chief Tom Hanner and Assistant Chief Joe Kelly were the two officers involved in the incident that led to the death of Barry Rucker.
Rucker died from his injuries after police said he pulled a small handgun while resisting arrest during a domestic disturbance outside the police department on South Poplar Street. The incident was reported at 8:16 a.m.
Police have not said how many times Rucker was struck or the part of the body where he was hit. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday morning in Seymour by a forensic pathologist from the Indianapolis area, Coroner Mike Bobb said late Thursday afternoon.
Bobb said the autopsy is expected to reveal the number of times Rucker was struck and if he had any substances in his blood at the time of the incident. He added autopsy results are covered by federal privacy regulations.
“It usually takes two weeks for results because of toxicology reports,” Bobb said.
Before joining the department Dec. 30, 2005, Hanner had been an officer with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department since 2000. The Kurtz native and 1996 graduate of Brownstown Central High School became chief in 2012.
Kelly was a member of the Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section until 2012 when he joined the Brownstown force. He was later appointed corporal and then appointed assistant chief in the fall of 2017.
The names were not released immediately after the incident to allow them time to make arrangements for their safety, Wheeles said.
“We usually like to give the officers time to make sure they notify their family and put stuff in place to protect themselves should someone retaliate,” he said.
The officers and others who responded gave first aid to Rucker, and he was taken to Schneck Medical Center. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Seymour hospital.
According to court records, Rucker had a pending case in Jackson Circuit Court on domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon and intimidation where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon. Both charges are Level 5 felonies.
Rucker appeared for a pretrial conference Tuesday in the case, a court official said.
In that incident, a woman said Rucker battered her and cut her with a machete at his home, according to court records.
On Sept. 14, 2018, in a separate case, Rucker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery in Jackson Superior Court I. He received a sentence of 365 days with 355 days suspended and was placed on probation. A hearing to determine if the probation should be revoked because of the Nov. 18 arrest was scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday in Jackson Superior Court 1.
Sally Lawson, president of the Brownstown Town Council, said it was a difficult day for the town, but officials showed support for the police department.
“I’m fully confident in our officers’ ability and judgment,” she said. “However, I think this is a very sad situation for everyone involved.”
Lawson said it’s the town’s policy to put officers on administrative leave and bring in an independent agency to investigate police-involved shootings.
Lawson said Hanner and Kelly will be on administrative leave until further notice, but she expects them to be back soon.
Detective Jac Sanders will lead the department until Hanner and Kelly return, she said.
In the meantime, Hanner and Kelly’s absence will leave the department short two of its eight officers. Lawson said the sheriff’s department already has offered to help provide coverage to make up the shortfall.
Lawson also confirmed Brownstown officers wear body cameras.
Wheeles said whether the cameras captured the incident has not been determined.
At least one of the cameras has been taken into evidence by police, he said, but he was told earlier Thursday that investigators had not yet been able to review it. He said it is possible that footage may be released later following the completion of the investigation.
“That’s up to our legal section to decide when or if that will be released,” he said.
Wheeles said a report from WDRB News of Louisville was “pretty accurate” from what he had been told.
The woman interviewed in that story who requested anonymity, but Rucker was in her vehicle when she had dropped her daughter off at school. At some point when she left the school, Rucker appeared from the back seat, presented a gun and told her to drive out of town, according to the report. She instead drove to the police department and credited police with saving her life.
Wheeles said finding a public space in that situation is generally the right thing to do.
“I certainly wouldn’t recommend listening to their demands and going out into the country or secluded area because nothing good is going to happen there,” he said. “You need to get to a police station or public area, and hopefully, that will give you the best chance to get away from the situation.”
Road troopers, several evidence technicians from the laboratory division in Versailles and Sellersburg districts and between six and eight detectives from Versailles have assisted in the investigation, Wheeles said.
He said multiple people have been interviewed, some of whom witnessed the argument before the incident, others who saw the shooting and the aftermath.
“It will be a long investigation,” Wheeles said.
He added that a lot of the investigation comes quickly as they sort out what happened, but then investigations slow down when they compile reports and other investigative material.
“All of that stuff takes time, and it will be turned over to the prosecutor afterwards, and the prosecutor will decide what, if any, action needs to be taken,” Wheeles said.
