Officer slashed by arson suspect released from hospital

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The injured LPD officer who was slashed by an arson suspect this week was just released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.

According to West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski, his brother, officer Ron Dombkowski, was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.

Chief Dombkowski said his brother is now happy to be home with family.

Chief Dombkowski said he and his family continue to thank the community again for the continued support and prayers, and said it's this support that makes he and his brother proud to serve the Greater Lafayette Community.
 

Ron Dombkowski has served with Lafayette Police for 13 years. He is also a K-9 officer for the department and the brother of West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski. Detectives said it all started when they responded to a call of arson shortly before 5:00 Wednesday morning.

Lafayette officers chased 39-year-old Paul Spencer of Lafayette after getting a call about a dark Cadillac leaving from a duplex on Oregon Street after that building was set on fire.

The pursuit led through downtown Lafayette and ended near the Lafayette Country Club when Spencer crashed into the embankment on South 9th and Potomac Avenue after losing control of the car. Investigators said Officer Ron Dombkowski approached Spencer.

"The suspect at that time raised a knife and stabbed Officer Dombkowski in the left side of his face,” said Lafayette Police Chief Don Roush.

Two other officers at the scene then fired several shots at Spencer. But officers said this is not Spencer's first run in with the law.

"He is currently on probation. He was released from the Department of Corrections July 16, 2008 for dealing cocaine,” said Lafayette Police Captain Kurt Wolf.

This isn't the first time Paul Spencer is believed to have been involved in a police chase.

Back in December of 2009 Spencer was the subject of a "WLFI Fugitive Search" when he was wanted by police on a felony battery warrant. A month later, in January of 2010, officers spotted Spencer and chased him briefly. Officers terminated the chase before they caught him, but they later arrested him without incident.

Police said Spencer died at IU-Arnett Health in Lafayette. Police are waiting for autopsy results before they release how many times Spencer was shot.

Meanwhile, Dombkowski is recovering at a local hospital. His brother, West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski, thanks the community for their thoughts and prayers and said Dombkowski is in good spirits. Lafayette Police said a shooting review board will be looking at the officer's actions.

"Whether the shooting involved was within our department policy, guidelines and regulations. If it is, that's where it ends,” said Wolf.

All three officers involved in the incident are on paid administrative leave until the shooting review board reports its findings. The shooting review board is expected to meet early next week. More details on what happened will be released then.

Meanwhile, people in the neighborhood where the stabbing and shooting happened said they'll remember waking up to gun shots for some time to come. Neighbors said it's not unusual to hear sirens, but what happened next gave them a jolt.

"Then I heard five to six rapid fire rounds, clearly gun shots, and I was like...that's not good. That's what I woke up to this morning,” said John Blichmann who was getting ready to go to the gym.

"Then I heard four gun shots and I decided I needed to get down and get away from the windows,” said Sheri Talbott, who was woken up by the siren.

We'll continue to bring you updates as they become available to us.