No charges or grand jury for Goshen police-involved shooting

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New details after a suspect was shot dead by Goshen Police. 19-year-old Michael Alcarez was killed April 5th. An innocent bystander was also seriously injured.

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker says, no criminal charges will be filed against the three officers involved and there will be no grand jury necessary.

Given the details and evidence from the day of the shooting Becker says everything but what made Alcarez pull the trigger is clear. “We will never know what provoked it. What we do know is that is it inexcusable. We cannot permit this kind of violence in our community.”

On April 5th, minutes before 9:30 a.m. many Goshen families in the same area called 911 panicking for their safety.

“As many of you are aware, our community friends and neighbors were severely traumatized by a very violent act that occurred on the southeast side of Goshen,” says Becker.

She adds several innocent bystanders were placed in the line of danger when Alcarez tried to carjack three females. “Mr. Alcarez was armed with a shot gun and he pointed it in the direction of each of these drivers as he tried to take their cars.”

Sgt. Stuart Smith, Patrolman Coty Brown and Todd Shidler were involved in trying to stop Alcarez from harming anyone and at one point Alcarez aimed at one of these officers.

“Sgt. Smith actually observed Alcarez point the barrel of the shotgun out the window at him and fired another round,” says Becker.

Alcarez finally pulled into the parking lot of Double D’s Bar and Grill. According to Becker he immediately got out of his car, shotgun in hand, and ran behind the north part of the building.

“He still had the shotgun in his hands; he leveled that shot gun at the Goshen Police department officers.”

Officer Shidler and Brown shot back until Alcarez fell to the ground, where his injuries were fatal.

“I do not want our law enforcement to back down on their training,” says Becker.

Meanwhile, Sgt. Smith noticed someone in the area of the shooting and fired out of instinct.

“It was discovered that individual was not the suspect, he was an innocent bystander,” adds Becker.

That innocent victim is 68-year-old Fernando Cuevas. a local who visited Double D’s frequently.

“We have had some conversations with him. He is still in the hospital receiving treatment for his injuries, he is gravely injured,” says Becker.

According to Becker, Goshen PD’s policy is to use least restrictive means when dealing with a situation, but in this case it had to be deadly force, since that is what Chicagoan Michael Alcarez was doing.

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