On Monday night, all lanes of traffic on Interstate 65 were blocked due to a SWAT situation in Indianapolis.
According to the traffic map of Indiana Department of Transportation at 9:51 p.m., there was a “traffic hazard” causing the closure of all lanes on I-65 southbound near mile marker 101. The hazard was reported to be situated between Stop 11 and County Line Roads as per INDOT.
According to the Indiana State Police, a pursuit of a stolen vehicle took place in the vicinity, resulting in the hazardous condition on the road. Sergeant John Perrine, from the Indiana State Police, stated on X that the chase came to a halt as the stolen car landed in a ditch.
According to state police, the individual driving the stolen vehicle declined to step out of the car. This resulted in the need for a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team to be summoned to the location due to the individual barricading themselves inside the vehicle.
As of the time of writing, the Indiana State Police (ISP) has reported no injuries resulting from the incident. However, to ensure public safety, state troopers have directed traffic away from the road hazard by rerouting vehicles through Southport Road.
Upon arriving at the scene, FOX59 and CBS4 crews bore witness to law enforcement officials taking an individual into custody.
The suspect taken into custody has been identified as Joshua Shepherd, as confirmed by ISP on Tuesday morning.
Traffic on I-65 southbound was allowed to resume at around 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, with state police still present in the area at 12:40 a.m. However, vehicles were moving smoothly through the affected stretch of the highway.