Mayor Buttigieg hosts town hall about police shooting

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Anger and frustration were palpable at a town hall held by Mayor Pete Buttigieg at South Bend’s Washington High School.

The town hall was called after the deadly shooting of 54-year-old Eric Logan by Sgt. Ryan O’Neill on Sunday, June 16. And it was held just hours after a mass shooting at a popular South Bend bar. One was killed in that shooting. 

Mayor Buttigieg was joined by South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski and NAACP South Bend Chapter President Michael Patton moderated the event.

Before taking questions from the public, Chief Ruszkowski explained the process for investigations in police-involved shootings.

According to Ruszkowski, St. Joseph County Metro Homicide is responsible for reviewing any incident, and that includes obtaining evidence and collecting statements from witnesses.

Ruszkowski also revealed that body-cameras should turn on unless there is a “compelling reason” not to do so.

At the town hall, Mayor Buttigieg said he wants a special prosecutor to investigate the shooting.

Areas of concern among those in attendance at the town hall were accountability and trust.

There were also calls for the firing of Sgt. O’Neill, but the mayor and the police chief are prohibited from doing so under state law.