Two police officers responding to reports of an armed disturbance at a motel were shot one fatally early today when they tried to apprehend the gunman, who also was fatally shot, police said.
Cpl. Nick Polizzotto, 34, a nine-year veteran of the force, died in the shooting, said South Bend Police Chief Tom Fautz. The wounded officer, Patrolman Michael Norby, 29, was in stable condition at Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Fautz said.
The officers were investigating a report of gunshots near a two-story South Bend motel at 1:37 a.m., Fautz said. A gunman shot at the officers, who returned fire, he said.
Witnesses told police the gunshots were fired across from the St. Joseph River from Indiana University of South Bend and originated from the Wooden Indian Motel.
The shooting came hours after more than 100 people attended a ceremony Monday night to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of Cpl. Scott Severns, an off-duty police officer who died two days after being shot during an attempted robbery.
The name of the gunman was not being released this afternoon and few other details were being disclosed. The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit is investigating the shootings.