Investigation into Friday's State Trooper shooting under investigation, questions unanswered about how a convicted felon was in possession of firearm
LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. -- Several questions still remain about the suspect in Friday's shooting. Kevin Wade Meyers had a lengthy criminal history. In October 2019, he led police on a high-speed chase which ended in a fiery crash that destroyed his vehicle and a Walkerton police car.
ABC57 spent the day trying to get answers on one key question. Kevin Meyers was a convicted felon, so how did he end up getting a gun?
This is a tough question because there are so many possibilities. The gun could've been stolen. It could've been a ghost gun, which is a firearm that is not properly registered or trackable and often made out of different parts.
ABC57 asked Indiana State Police if they could share details on the gun Meyers had and how it got in his possession, but that is part of an ongoing investigation so they could not comment.
On Friday, law enforcement lined Joliet Road just outside of Westville while choppers were in the air looking for 54-year-old Kevin Meyers. Investigators say Meyers stole a truck, led officers on a chase spanning two states and shot Indiana State Police Sergeant Justin Heflin.
IU Law Professor and expert, Mark Stuaan, says there are a number of ways a convicted felon could be in possession of a firearm.
"One way an individual could get a gun would be to steal one, say during a burglary or a robbery. They could borrow one from a family member or friend. Another would be if someone had a firearm and you were willing to sell it, and I was willing to buy it, especially a handgun, you know, a one-off transaction like that, it would not be unheard of," explained Stuaan.
One of the toughest options, according to Stuaan, would be making the bold move to purchase from a licensed dealer which would require lying on the ATF Form 4473. The document Is required when purchasing a firearm and asks if you've ever been convicted of a felony.
The next possibility, a straw purchase.
"I could avail myself of someone, a friend, an acquaintance or even offer just to pay somebody to go in and pretend to be the person who wants to buy the gun, and they're willing to fill out the form, be a straw purchaser. That's another way I could get a gun by way of that straw purchase, rather than me going in and trying to get through a background check on my own," said Stuaan.
Being a straw purchaser comes at a risk.
"In some instances, depending on what actually happened, an individual could be looking at a penalty of at least up to five years of incarceration. However, the more serious penalties would be up to as much as 15 years of incarceration and a fine in the range of a quarter million dollars."
Another possibility, it could be a ghost gun; an untraceable firearm made of various parts. Since ghost guns don't have serial numbers, it's difficult for law enforcement to pinpoint where they come from or where the individual pieces are from.
"The real challenge for law enforcement would be: okay, if you find one, who do you trace it back ultimately? And if it's a dead end, it's a dead end. You can't trace it back like you can with a manufactured firearm with a serial number on it."
We have reached out to the La Porte County coroner's office for Meyers' autopsy report. The shooting and any information about the gun Meyers had are still under investigation.