On September 15, 2025, at 0126 hours, the Fort Wayne Police Department responded to the 2300 block of Cortland Avenue in reference to a shooting investigation.
Fort Wayne Police Department incident report:
Date: September 15, 2025
Location: 2300 block of Cortland Avenue, Lima and Ludwig Roads, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Time: 0126 hours and 0940 hours
Details/Summary:
On September 15th, 2025, at 0126 hours, the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) responded to the 2300 block of Cortland Avenue reference a shooting investigation. Initial callers indicated a male subject was shot and placed in the back of a vehicle that subsequently fled the area. Area hospitals were notified, however there were no reports of a victim arriving at a hospital.
Fort Wayne Police Officers arrived on scene with an approximate one-minute response time. Upon canvasing the area, officers located an abandoned crime scene with a large amount of blood and shell casing(s) in the alleyway in rear of the 600 block of W. State Blvd. Based on the large amount of blood located in the alleyway, the Fort Wayne Homicide Unit was paged out to conduct the criminal investigation.
Based on the amount of blood evidence, Detectives believed they were investigating a homicide and the suspect removed the victim from the scene in an effort to conceal the crime. Through investigative techniques, in conjunction with a thorough area canvass and witness statements, Homicide Detectives were able to identify the suspect vehicle(s) involved in the shooting and removal of the victim. The Fort Wayne Homicide Task Force was initiated.
Approximately 8 hours and 10 minutes from the time of dispatch, the Homicide Task Force located the suspect vehicle in a parking lot of a local business. The Homicide Task Force attempted to perform a high-risk felony traffic stop on the vehicle, at which time the suspect vehicle fled, leading the Homicide Task Force on a pursuit.
Due to the suspect being an armed homicide suspect and the belief the vehicle contained the shooting victim, the Homicide Task Force pursued the vehicle in an effort to apprehend the suspect and recover the victim. The pursuit lasted approximately 17 minutes, involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The suspect vehicle eventually went off road in the area of Madden Road and SR-205 and the pursuit ended.
A high-risk felony stop was performed and the driver refused to exit. The Fort Wayne Emergency Services Team (EST) and Crisis Response Team (CRT) were called in to assist. Eventually, the suspect was extracted from the vehicle and arrested in connection to the earlier shooting investigation. The suspect was found to have a semi-automatic firearm in his lap and appeared to be suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. The suspect was immediately rendered aid by the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) and transported to an area hospital for medical attention. Upon EST clearing the vehicle, the homicide victim’s body was located in the backseat.
On 09/16/2025, the Allen County Coroners Office performed an autopsy on the victim and advised his manner of death was homicide. Per standard protocol, the Allen County Coroners Office will be releasing an official statement on the identity, cause and manner of death of the victim.
The Fort Wayne Homicide Unit is still actively investigating the incident at this time.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
All information is preliminary and subject to change during the course of the investigation.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Fort Wayne Police Department at 427-1201, Crime Stoppers at 436-7867, or use the free “P3 Tips” app.
Read more posts on the 2025 30th Allen County Homicide or visit the 2025 Allen County Homicides index page.
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