Jan. 20 (UPI) — Authorities in Indiana are hunting for a suspect after a Sunday shooting left a state judge and his wife injured.
The police in Lafayette, located about 63 miles northwest of Indianapolis, said in a statement Monday that officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 1700 block of Mill Pond Lane at about 2:17 p.m. CST Sunday.
Officers arrived to find Judge Steve Meyer and his wife, Kimberly Meyer, suffering injuries from the shooting. Steve Meyer was injured in the arm and Kimberly Meyer in the hip, police said, adding both were in stable condition.
Shell casings were discovered at the scene.
Little information about the shooting was made public.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Meyer family,” Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said in a statement.
“I want to ensure the community that every available resource is being used to apprehend the individual(s) responsible for this senseless unacceptable act of violence.”
Along with local police, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI were investigating.
“I have great confidence in the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation and want to thank all the agencies involved for their work,” Kimberly Myer said in a statement, while thanking the community for their outpouring of support.”
Steven Meyer, 66, is a superior court judge in Tippecanoe County. He was first elected in November 2014 and again in 2020. In December, he announced that he would not seek re-election for a third term.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush expressed concern following the shooting over the safety of all Tippecanoe County judges.
“As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe,” Rush said in a statement.
“Any violence against a judge or a judge’s family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law.”
The shooting comes amid a surge of violence targeting public servants over the last few years.
On Jan. 6, 2021, members of Congress were threatened by a mob of pro-Donald Trump supporters who attacked the Capitol while they were inside.
In April, a man firebombed the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro while he and his family were asleep inside.
In Minnesota in July, a gunman shot and killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman.
“I was devastated to learn that a sitting judge in Tippecanoe County, the Honorable Steve Meyer, and his wife were shot in their home this past weekend. Judges serve our communities by delivering justice and they must be able to do so without fear for their own safety,” Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said on X.
“Susan and I will be praying for Judge Meyer and his wife, Kim, as they recover.”
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