Further investigation shows gun shot was fired

Further investigation of a Jan. 17 incident involving a Bloomington police officer who was reportedly attacked while pursuing a suspect revealed the officer had fired one round from his weapon during the altercation, Capt. Joe Qualters said in an email.

The night of the incident, Bloomington Police Department officers responded to a request for help locating a suspect, later identified as Cody Waldrip, 32, who had reportedly disarmed and assaulted a Monroe County Sheriff’s deputy earlier.

Bloomington police officer Brett Rorem located a vehicle believed to be driven by Waldrip near the 6700 block of East Gross Road. The officer pursued him into a nearby wooded area where the confrontation occurred.

The suspect gained control of the officer’s baton, Qualters said, and began to strike the officer’s face with his fist while on top on him. The shot was fired as the suspect struggled to disarm the officer, Qualters said.

“The round did not strike the suspect and there were no injuries resulting from the weapon being discharged,” Qualters said.

After the shot was fired, Waldrip took off running before he was eventually subdued and taken into custody by Rorem and deputies who arrived on the scene. The officer was treated for minor injuries.

“The chief has determined that the discharge of the officer’s weapon was consistent with department policy and justified under the violent situation instigated by the suspect,” Qualters said.

The Sheriff’s Office could not be reached for comment regarding its investigation of the incident.

— Kirsten Clark