Indiana State Police say an Elkhart man has been charged after injuring a Trooper during protests in Fort Wayne on May 30.
(You can read the ISP release below.)
On Saturday afternoon, May 30th, 2020, during the protest events in downtown Fort Wayne, an Indiana State Trooper was injured by a male protestor that deployed an explosive device against officers. The explosion that resulted caused serious bodily injury to the Trooper, who was subsequently transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. The Trooper was treated and released later that night, and has since been able to return to duty.
At the time of incident, officers were not able to make an immediate apprehension of the suspect protestor. Thanks to the hard work and cooperative effort of detectives from the Indiana State Police (ISP), Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD), and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Task Force, that suspect was positively identified earlier this week as Juan Pablo Gonzalez, 43, of Elkhart, IN.
Shortly before 6:00pm last evening, officers from the FWPD observed Gonzalez walking along Clinton Street near Friemann Square- again participating in the downtown Fort Wayne area protest events. Recognizing Gonzalez as the suspect in the earlier officer assault, the FWPD officers quickly detained Gonzalez without incident. Gonzales was transported for an interview with detectives handling the investigation, and then was transported to the Allen County Jail. He was booked into custody and remains held pending an initial hearing on several felony and misdemeanor charges.
This is an active criminal investigation. No other specific information will be released at this time.
Arrested: JUAN PABLO GONZALEZ, 34, of Elkhart, Indiana
Charges: Ct. 1) WEAPON/INSTRUMENT OF VIOLENCE- POSSESS/DETONATE DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE TO KILL OR INTIMIDATE, LEVEL 2 FELONY
Ct. 2) WEAPON/INSTRUMENT OF VIOLENCE- POSSESS/MANUF/TRANSPORT/
Ct. 3) BATTERY-COMMITTED WITH A DEADLY WEAPON, LEVEL 5 FELONY
Ct. 4) BATTERY - AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIAL ENGAGED IN OFFICIAL DUTY, LEVEL 6 FELONY
Ct. 5) DISORDERLY CONDUCT, B MISDEMEANOR
Ct. 6) RIOTING, B MISDEMEANOR