Armed Felon Shot in a Vehicle After Refusing to Comply With Officer Commands

* (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) *
Anderson, Indiana — On June 1, 2024, around 9:00 p.m., Madison County Sheriff’s Department deputies were trying to serve an arrest warrant to 44-year-old Lataurus Harrison, at the request of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Harrison was wanted for violating his home detention and several terms of his probation related to his 2023 conviction for strangulation, domestic battery, and sexual battery. His home detention stemmed from a plea deal in March 2023 that dismissed prior convictions from 2021, including multiple counts of rape, attempted rape, criminal confinement, and other charges. As part of this deal, Harrison was sentenced to one year of probation and 180 days of home detention.

Deputies located Harrison sitting in his parked car outside a residence in the 1600 block of Fairview Street in Anderson. They surrounded his vehicle and issued 18 verbal commands for him to show his hands and keep them visible. Harrison complied sporadically but continued talking on his cellphone, reaching for his pocket, and making other suspicious movements inside the car. When officers tried to open the car, they found it locked and issued eight more commands for Harrison to unlock the vehicle or exit it. Deputies planned to forcibly enter the vehicle and instructed Deputy Brizendine to keep watch on Harrison. As Harrison reached for his pocket again, Brizendine shouted, "He’s reaching for his pocket! Get out of your pocket!"

Due to the angle of Brizendine’s bodycam, the moment Harrison reached for his pocket was not captured, but a black handgun was seen in several frames as Harrison pointed it at the deputies. When Harrison raised his firearm towards the officers, Brizendine fired his weapon 10 times, hitting Harrison with seven rounds. Following the shooting, deputies immediately called for emergency services. Despite their life-saving efforts, Harrison was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. An autopsy revealed that Harrison died from multiple gunshot wounds, including one directly to the heart. No other individuals were injured during the incident. A search of Harrison’s vehicle revealed a semi-automatic handgun on the front seat. Investigations into how Harrison, a serious violent felon, obtained the handgun are ongoing.