Indianapolis, Indiana – A 21-year-old man was shot and killed by police on May 6th following a high-speed pursuit and exchanged gunfire, according to reports.

While seemingly representative of how any police interaction can suddenly escalate, this recent case is unique in that the suspect’s death was live streamed on Facebook at the time.

An investigation is ongoing into the officer-involved shooting of Dreasjon Reed, who was involved in a high-speed chase that led to a foot pursuit and gunfire.

The shooting took place at approximately 6:15 p.m. nearby West 62nd Street and North Michigan Road.

The chase started when IMPD Chief Randal Taylor and Deputy Chief Kendale Adams were reportedly on their way home while driving down I-65 when they noticed a vehicle being operated erratically.

Both officers pursued the vehicle in question, which was later identified as being operated by Reed.

The two officers terminated the chase after roughly 10 minutes’ time, disbanding near West 56th Street and Lafayette Road due to the continued participation in the chase becoming an increased risk to public safety.

Sometime thereafter, another officer had spotted Reed’s vehicle, and then began pursuing the subject once again.

All the while that this was happening, Reed was broadcasting the chase on Facebook, which had garnered an audience to the tune of thousands.

With Reed narrating his actions during the pursuit, he’d parked his vehicle and exited on foot around the area of 62nd Street and Michigan Road. The suspect then began running on foot, while still managing to keep the live feed going for the online audience.

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While not visible on Reed’s video, a series of gunshots can be heard going off, at roughly the same time that the suspect presumably falls to the ground. Thereafter, a male voice can be heard on the live streamed video saying the following:

“I think it’s going to be a closed casket, homie.”

Chief Taylor, during a press conference after the shooting, eluded that the voice heard on the live stream belonged to that of a detective for the IMPD:

“[I’m] aware of inappropriate comments made by an IMPD detective that was broadcast live on social media during the incident.”

The chief noted that there will be disciplinary action doled out for the insensitive comments made by the detective.

However, the unnamed detective that was alleged to have made said comments was not the IMPD officer involved in the shooting.

Protests did form in the wake of Reed’s death, alleging that police are somehow endowed with an ability to gun down young black men seemingly without reason or just cause.

The deceased’s father, Jaime, noted the following after seeing his son’s passing via the uploaded video online:

“It just shows me that we’re not really being protected and served. We’re being hunted. My son was a great son. I love him to death. He was just a typical young adult like anybody else. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”

For proper context into the “typical young adult”, here are some of the things said by the suspect while live streaming the pursuit:

“Bitch, you gotta do better than that! I’m not going to jail easy.”

“Uh oh, I almost lost ‘em, y’all! I almost got rid of his ass! There he is. Never mind.”

“Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! You’re not going to catch me! I’m not going to jail today, no sir! You gotta catch me, baby! I’m not going to jail today.”

Assistant Chief Chris Bailey noted that there was a firearm discovered at the scene next to Reed’s body. Testing confirmed that at least two shots were fired from the weapon believed to belong to the suspect.

Officials also alleged that the gun discovered on the scene matched that of one Reed had showcased in previous social media posts. 

It was also revealed that the officer who shot the suspect, who remains unnamed, was black.

You can view the unedited video of the live stream below. Be warned, there is graphic language throughout.

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