There was an officer-involved shooting Saturday morning at Evansville Regional Airport, leaving the knife-wielding suspect critically injured.
The Evansville Police Department (EPD), responding agency, held a news conference Monday afternoon to explain the events.
Body cam video shows the 15-minute negotiation prior to the shooting from several angles. The suspect, according to the EPD, was in a personal crisis. Police say the suspect is 24-year-old Pierre Robson Barthelemy.
While in Evansville, Barthelemy had allegedly stolen from a Greyhound bus employee and was banned from the local women and children’s shelter property.
Crisis intervention and negotiation — trained officers were brought to the incident at the airport after midnight Saturday.
A Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputy tried to keep him talking, to get him medical care for his hand. First he had to drop the 4-inch knife he was holding.
Police say he threatened airport personnel and slashed furniture. He also shouted obscenities at police, which was depicted in the body cam footage.
Barthelemy said he wanted to “go back to Haiti.”
“And he didn't have the proper paperwork, proper identification to buy a ticket, so he was getting very aggravated with staff,” said Sgt. Anna Gray with the EPD.
She couldn't comment on his mental health history, but said, "he did appear that he was in some sort of crisis mode."
Barthelemy was shot by police with lethal and non-lethal rounds after suddenly getting to his feet after shouting at police.
“… he was a threat at that time,” Gray said. “Keep in mind, this is still a very active investigation. You know, we've got three different agencies investigating.”
Barthelemy’s conduct is being investigated, and due to policy, so is the shooting incident itself.
Several officers were pointing weapons at Barthelemy, and Gray said some had standard lethal rounds, and others had “less lethal” rounds, such as pepper balls or a taser.
Both were shot at the suspect after he suddenly stood up and was perceived as a threat. Gray said in the moment, there isn’t time to coordinate between officers using lethal and non-lethal rounds.
Barthelemy is currently in the hospital and when released, he’ll face charges of intimidation with a deadly weapon, resisting law enforcement with a deadly weapon, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.
Gray said she’s not sure how much jail time he might be facing. She said she could not share his current medical status.
She said contact will be attempted with relatives. He’s been in Evansville since Nov. 8.
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The EPD updated news release:
On November 18th, at 12:22 a.m., Evansville Central Dispatch received a call from the Evansville Regional Airport for a disorderly subject inside the lobby. A second call to dispatch asked that officers “step it up” because the male had escalated his behavior, was threatening airport personnel, and had an approximate 4-inch knife.
The male was also using the knife to tear up furniture. Members of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police and the Evansville Police Department arrived on scene. They encountered the adult male suspect in the lobby area inside the airport and he was holding a knife. No one else was in the immediate area at that time.
The suspect was later identified as 24-year-old Pierre Robson Barthelemy. A Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputy, who is a Negotiator and a CIT Officer, was one of the first to arrive.
One of the first responding EPD Officers is also a CIT Officer. That Officer requested on the radio that they needed a less lethal option.
Barthelemy stated he was upset about his status in Evansville and wanted to go back to his country. The Negotiator asked for Barthelemy’s ID. Barthelemy got out of his chair with knife in hand and threw his ID at law enforcement officials. They ordered him to stop and drop the knife. Barthelemy laughed at officers and told them to shoot him but did sit back down.
The Negotiator explained that officers did not want to do that, and just wanted to help him. The Negotiator attempted to gain rapport with Barthelemy and tried to negotiate with him for nearly 15 minutes.
During negotiations, numerous commands were given for him to drop the knife. Barthelemy continued to yell at the law enforcement officials to just shoot him. Barthelemy never dropped the knife and at one point, he put the tip of the knife to his head and made a stabbing motion.
The situation escalated when Barthelemy yelled obscenities at the officers, abruptly jumped out of his seat, and moved towards officers with the knife in hand.
In total, 14 law enforcement officials were on scene at that time. Between EPD, VCSO and ISP, less lethal tools were on scene at that time. Due to Barthelemy abruptly escalating the situation, lethal force and less lethal force were utilized at the same time.
Three Evansville Police Officers fired their duty weapons. One Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputy and one Indiana State Police Trooper also fired their weapons. An EPD Officer deployed a Conducted Electrical Weapon (Taser), and two officers fired a less-lethal pepper ball launcher.
Life-saving measures were quickly rendered to Barthelemy on scene prior to AMR arrival including an officer using a tourniquet. Barthelemy was transported by AMR to a local hospital for treatment. Currently, Barthelemy is still hospitalized and still receiving treatment.
No officers or other civilians were injured during the incident.
Per protocol, all three EPD Officers were taken to the hospital for blood draw and the EPD Peer Support Team was called in to assist the officers. All three officers have been placed on Administrative Leave during the investigation, which is also protocol.
Although we do not know where Barthelemy was previously living, we do know that he arrived in Evansville on a Greyhound bus on November 8th. Officers had been dispatched to the bus station that day for a complaint against Barthelemy.
The driver of the bus called 911 to report that Barthelemy had stolen her bag. When officers arrived at the bus station, Barthelemy was still on scene and was in possession of the bus driver’s bag. Barthelemy was arrested for Theft and taken to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center that day.
Barthelemy bonded out and was released from the VCCC on November 9th.
Later that same day, around 11:00 p.m., employees from a local shelter for women and children called 911 because Barthelemy was trying to get into the shelter and refused to leave. When the officers arrived, Barthelemy was on the property and was told that he was barred from the property and needed to leave.
Regarding the incident at the Evansville Regional Airport, Barthelemy is facing charges of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon, Resisting Law Enforcement with a Deadly Weapon, Disorderly Conduct, and Criminal Mischief. There could potentially be other charges as well.
Once Barthelemy is medically released, he will be arrested and taken to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center.