Video shows murder suspect shoot out IMPD squad car windshield before being killed by officers

INDIANAPOLIS — Newly released bodycam footage shows officers being shot at by a murder suspect before returning fire and killing the man during a car chase on Indy’s northeast side.

Walter McNary, 76, was shot and killed on July 25 by officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department after a car chase ended on W. 32nd Street. IMPD said McNary was accused of shooting and killing his wife, 60-year-old Nola McNary, during a fight earlier that day.

On Friday, IMPD released a video containing portions of footage from responding officers’ body-worn cameras and squad car dashcams. The Critical Incident Video gives further insight into the murder investigation, police chase and deadly shooting.

Officers were called around 7:20 a.m. to the 4800 block of N. Ritter Avenue for a person shot. Upon arrival, they found Nola suffering from gunshot wounds and began investigating. Nola later died after being taken to the hospital.

Less than an hour later, officers saw Walter McNary driving in the 3300 block of Boulevard Place. His car was reportedly the one seen leaving the scene of his wife Nola’s murder, and officers followed him onto W. 30th Street before trying to pull him over.

Dashcam video shows McNary refused to pull over and that a pursuit was initiated. After turning onto W. 29th Street, McNary can be seen stopping his car and firing shots out the door at an IMPD squad car, striking the window before driving away. After this, the officer inside returned fire from inside his car.

At the next intersection, McNary is seen firing shots at another officer who was driving south on E. Riverside Drive. The suspect then drives down an alley and starts driving west down W. Congress Avenue. There, he fires shots at a third IMPD officer who is facing him head-on.

At Clifton Street and W. Congress Avenue, McNary is seen slowing down and again firing shots at officers, while another officer fires his patrol rifle from the driver’s seat.

The pursuit then ended when McNary pulled into a property on W. 32nd Street, parked and got out of his car. He then hid in some trees before soon emerging from behind a wall and pointing his gun at an officer, who returned fire with a rifle.

SWAT teams were called to the scene and a bulletproof vehicle was used to approach McNary, who reportedly did not respond to officers and was still within reach of his gun. After deploying a flashbang, SWAT officers can be seen moving in and taking McNary into custody.

Officers reportedly gave McNary first aid for his gunshot wounds until IEMS crews arrived and took him to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A rifle was found lying on the ground next to McNary and a gun was found inside his car.

No officers or uninvolved citizens were injured throughout the incident. However, two IMPD patrol vehicles were severely damaged by gunfire.

The officers who fired their guns were placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting investigation. 

The incident is now being investigated by several different groups, including IMPD’s critical incident response team, IMPD internal affairs, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and the Civilian-Majority Use of Force Review Board.