(12-21-24) On Thursday the 19th day of December 2024 at approximately 10:30 AM Decatur Police Officers were summoned to a business at 1700 S. 13th St. in Decatur, Indiana which is more commonly known as Walmart.

The dispatch was due to an alleged theft that had just occurred with one subject detained by store employees and another suspect who fled the area on foot. As officer’s arrived on scene and began investigating, it was thought the second suspect had hidden himself inside an already occupied vehicle in the parking lot. Officer’s ordered the occupants of that vehicle to exit. One person exited the vehicle and complied with orders. It was believed the second occupant had hidden themselves underneath blankets and clothing that were inside the vehicle. After ordering the second occupant numerous times to exit without any response, a nonlethal irritant (pepper-balls) was introduced into the passenger compartment of the vehicle in an attempt to encourage them to exit. (It was eventually learned there was no second occupant inside the vehicle.) During this situation unfolding in the parking lot, the second suspect was apprehended by officer’s inside the store after he had reentered it from another point of entry on the opposite end of the store.

One of the two suspects was taken into custody as a result of this incident; Jaylen Washington (27) of South Bend was arrested for an outstanding warrant from Kosciusko County. The individual who was mistaken as being involved and briefly detained was assisted by the Decatur PD at resolving the decontamination of the vehicle and its contents. This person has asked to not be named or associated with anything further.

Officer’s on scene did have firearms drawn however absolutely no gunfire occurred and no injuries were reported as a result of this incident.