PD: 1 victim, 1 suspect dead after chase, shooting

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Lafayette Police late Friday identified both of the men who died following a police action shooting on Thursday night and have released further details on autopsies.

Deputy Police Chief David Payne said 62-year-old Joel Ray Hershman, of Brook, Ind., died in the incident. Investigators told News 18 Monday morning that Hershman died from bleeding out from gunshot wounds. His death is being considered a homicide.

The second man has been identified as Steven Keith Moseley, 46.  Police said Moseley was believed to be homeless and living in the Lafayette area.

Toxicology tests have been sent in and investigators are awaiting results, but right now they will not comment on Moseley's cause of death until reports come back.

Investigators said it all started late Thursday night in the parking lot of IHOP on State Road 26 East. Police Lt. Brad Hayworth said one man was being held against his will at gunpoint. Officers arrived and found the suspect and victim had left the scene in a silver Dodge pickup truck.

Police tracked the truck to a home at 114 Kettle Circle, less than a mile from IHOP.  Hayworth said the driver of the truck fired at least one shot at one of the responding officers. That officer exchanged fire.

Witnesses told News 18 they heard six to eight gunshots in the Kettle Circle area after they heard a police car come down the road.

Officer Donna Gregorash is believed to have fired the shots. Officer Gregorash is a three year LPD veteran. Hayworth said he doesn’t believe Gregorash was injured.

Police have not released the exact sequence of events, but the pickup truck ended up wrecked inside the corner of the garage at 114 Kettle Circle. A tow truck was needed to pull the pickup from the garage, so that one of the bodies could be removed. The tow truck left the scene with the pickup truck around 4:30 Friday morning.