South Bend Police Department

The intersection of Ireland Road and Michigan Street near the U.S. 20 Bypass has seen the most collisions so far this year in South Bend, with 19 from January through September. That’s an increase from the same period in 2024, even though it was one of six intersections targeted for police focus, based on last year’s data.

Overall, there were 449 incidents of gun violence from January to September, down from 508 during the same period last year. There were five criminal shooting deaths, matching the 2024 number.

A South Bend police officer who recently pleaded guilty to domestic battery in the presence of a child and resisting law enforcement has officially been fired. Emanuel Garcia was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of her children at his home, back in February.

A South Bend police officer has been sentenced, after pleading guilty to domestic battery in the presence of a child and resisting law enforcement. Emanuel Garcia was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of her children at his home, back in February.

“I personally think it’s very important that people on this board be able to see the police video: bodycam, car cam, et cetera,” said community police review board member Cheryl Ashe.

Girl yells, 'You can't touch me, fool!' while officer Sam Chaput replies, 'Yes, I sure can.'

“I don’t have enough information to make a determination on any legal strategy or legal moves," said civil rights attorney Andrew M. Stroth. "I just want to know what the heck happened.”

“There’s a million ways that could’ve been handled,” Fred Teague told the South Bend Community Police Review Board on Thursday. “That should’ve been deescalated.”

South Bend Common Council member Oliver Davis says the juvenile's family and activists like Black Lives Matter South Bend are even angrier after hearing Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski's defensive tone and words at a press conference Wednesday.

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski says Internal Affairs must still conclude its investigation, but he and the department's Use of Force Committee finds nothing wrong with the level of force that Patrolman Samuel Chaput used while detaining a 14-year-old female juvenile Friday outside the downtown McDonald's.