LMPD :: Louisville Metro Police Department
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LMPD files charges against dead man

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Louisville Metro Police are filing charges against a dead man. Last month, police say two officers were hurt when Norman Smith opened fire on them near the intersection of 10th Street and Jefferson Street.

Police say Smith later committed suicide and he was found in his car. WDRB News has learned that police have posthumously charged Smith with four counts of attempted murder and four counts of criminal mischief.

Officers responded to calls on December 20th of shots fired around 12:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of west Jefferson. When officers arrived, they got behind a white SUV suspected in the incident.

"He shot at our officers, and he got back in his vehicle and took off and we went after him. When he shot at our officers is when we had all the glass explosion. I think it was a shot gun if I am not mistaken that did most of the damage," Ishmon Burks, the interim LMPD Police Chief, said at the time.

Police say Smith led them on a chase to an alley in the 1800 block of Nelligan Alley, located in the Portland area. Authorities say more shots were fired.

"We heard a bunch of cops come down. I heard brakes lock up behind that building over there. Seen him get out of the truck shooting," said witness Charles Sanislow.

Two officers were injured. A bullet grazed one officer's face. Another officer suffered injuries from shattered glass.

Smith had just been released from prison in November.