1 Home Invasion Suspect Commits Suicide, 3 Arrested After Indiana Chase
UPDATED 08/09/12 11:30 a.m.
HOBART, Ind. (CBS) -- Three suspects were in custody Thursday, after what started as a home invasion ended with police, guns and a dead man on a roadway.
As CBS 2's Susanna Song reports, charges are likely to come down in the case later Thursday afternoon. Hobart, Ind., police say they received full confessions from the three suspects.
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Police say on Wednesday afternoon, the men forced their way into a 52-year-old woman's house in a remote area of Porter County, Ind., displayed a gun, and severely beat and robbed her. The broken screen door at the house was still lying leaning against the exterior wall Tuesday morning.
According to Hobart, Ind., police, the suspects stole $2,000, and numerous weapons from inside the home – including an AK-47.
After that, police say as the suspects were taking off, the neighbor who lives down the street – who happens to be a Hammond, Ind., firefighter, got into his car and began chasing them.
The suspects fled west on Route 30 as the neighbor chased them and kept police informed about where they were, police said.
A witness, Steve Stanek, said the firefighter rammed his vehicle into the suspects' car to stop them.
Hobart police tell the Northwest Indiana Times that the suspects' car was speeding on U.S. 30 during the evening rush, and crashed into three vehicles while making a sharp turn.
Police say the suspects' and the neighbor's cars crashed at Route 30 and Colorado Street in Hobart, Ind.
After the crash, the suspects got out of their car and began firing shots at the neighbor who chased them. He was hit in the hand.
Police say three of the suspects then ran off to a nearby mall, but a fourth first fired shots at police and then committed suicide. He shot and killed himself right off Route 30, and home video showed his body lying on a grassy area.
Stanek heard four gunshots, and took video of the crime scene. Coincidentally, he also happens to know the firefighter who chased the invaders.
"I work with this individual, and that's the kind of – all firefighters are like that, you know, eve though we're on duty 24 hours, we're actually on duty all the time," Stanek said. "When we see things happen, we try to help out. I'm not one bit surprised that this individual went and did what he did, and kind of a brave act for him to do that, and like all firefighters, we all try to look out for our neighbors."
Police eventually caught up to the other three suspects. One surrendered to authorities at a Chuck E. Cheese, and another at a TGI Friday's restaurant near Southlake Mall.
The woman who was robbed was reportedly taken to an area hospital to be treated for injuries suffered when the suspects punched and kicked her.
The firefighter who chased the suspects was not home Thursday morning.
As of 11 a.m., police said they were obtaining a search warrant to look through the suspect's car to try to gather more evidence.
