Bloomington Police say attempted murder suspect Brandon Richardson has been apprehended, and that Richardson is being treated for a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to a statement, Police served a warrant in the 3100 block of West Vernal Pike at around 12:30 Friday. They'd gotten a tip that Richardson was inside a house with multiple handguns.
Police blocked the intersection of Vernal Pike and Woodyard Rd. before serving the warrant. As the Critical Incident Response Team approached the house, Richardson fled in a car, driving west on Vernal before turning north on Woodyard.
Richardson's vehicle struck a Sheriff's vehicle and three other police cars. Police say Richardson then shot himself once in the head with a handgun.
Police say Richardson is being treated at IU Health Hospital in critical condition. No officers were injured. Bloomington Police Captain Steve Kellams says it's too early to say how much damage has been caused to the police and sheriff's vehicles.
Police are still investigating whether Richardson was tipped off, whether he saw police officers approaching the residence, or if drug use could have impacted his actions.
"It is our understanding that he also had been a heavy user of methamphetamines which also creates a severe paranoia, and it's quite possible that through that that might have caused this to happen unrelated to any of our actions as well," Kellams says.
Richardson, 34, was wanted for the attempted murder of a 29-year-old woman in the 2600 block of S. Rogers Street.
Police announced Thursday Richardson was accused of tying a woman up with a dog leash, then beating and strangling her over the course of three days.
Police say the woman sought medical treatment for domestic battery injuries at Monroe Hospital on Wednesday.
The woman told police Richardson started battering her on April 9 over relationship problems. She says the assault continued over the next two days. Richardson is accused of punching, kicking and hitting the woman with a metal bar. Police say it caused multiple fractures to the woman's face, including a broken nose and eye socket. The victim also suffered from a broken vertebrae, broken ribs, a crushed hand and "countless contusions all over her body." She also suffered several stab wounds.
The victim told police she was strangled and confined to one room in the house with a dog leash several times over the three-day period. She escaped Wednesday morning and sought help from neighbors. She's being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
