The investigation continues into whether two Elkhart police officers were justified in fatally shooting 17-year-old Bryan Ramirez Gomez last week at High Dive Park. Meanwhile, St. Joseph County prosecutors have cleared two Mishawaka officers in recent shootings.
At their press conference Wednesday, Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson and Elkhart Police Chief Dan Milanese urged patience. They said Elkhart County’s Metro Homicide Unit, which operates out of Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker’s office, is reviewing the evidence in Ramirez Gomez’ killing, and they expect to release some news on it early this week.
In St. Joseph County, Mishawaka police officers shot two suspects in separate recent cases and Prosecutor Ken Cotter has determined officers in both cases were justified in using deadly force. In the first case, officers Zachary Alfrey and Nathan Bachman shot 53-year-old Chad Bean at the end of a 10-hour SWAT standoff.
In the other case, on New Year’s Eve, Mishawaka officer Jamie Stirling shot 55-year-old Stephen Sherwood through the front door of a house, as Sherwood threatened a woman and baby with a knife.
Bean and Sherwood have been transferred to jail after receiving treatment in the hospital.
