CORYDON, Ind. (WDRB) -- A prosecutor released new details Wednesday about a shootout that killed two people in Palmyra on Monday night, calling the events that led up to the killings "absolutely unexplainable."

During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Harrison County Prosecutor Otto Schalk revealed the results of the investigation into the shooting that, up until now, left more questions than it did answers. 

Previously, investigators said the shooting had taken place just before 10 p.m. Monday on State Road 135 in Palmyra, where an officer with the Palmyra Police Department responded to a stranded motorist. Shortly after that, police said the motorist, along with a volunteer firefighter who had stopped to help, were dead after a shootout.

But Wednesday, Schalk described moment-by-moment what police believe happened. Schalk said the incident began Monday night when a reserve officer with the Palmyra Police Department spoke with 31-year-old Justin Moore, of Owensboro, the motorist who said he had run out of gas.

That officer was joined by 24-year-old Jacob Tyler McClanahan of Corydon, Schalk said, who was a volunteer firefighter. McClanahan and co-worker agreed to assist by directing traffic.

"After some discussion as to what would happen with the vehicle that was alleged to have run out of gas, it was determined that a tow truck would be called," Schalk said.

At that point, the officer asked Moore if he had any weapons in his car, and Moore claimed the only weapon he had was a knife that was on his person, Schalk said. At that point, the officer asked him to put the knife back in his vehicle.

"As soon as Mr. Moore reached inside of his vehicle, he pulled out a shotgun, immediately firing a round at the officer, narrowly missing him," Schalk said.

Moore fired again, according to Schalk.

"As the officer and Jacob (McClanahan) attempted to retreat, Mr. Moore fired a second round, this time at Jacob, fatally wounding him," Schalk said.

At that point, Schalk said the officer returned fire, fatally shooting Moore.

Schalk said McClanahan's co-worker was in an adjacent yard at the time and was unharmed.

"This tragic scene was captured on the officer's body camera, in-car dash camera, as well as a doorbell camera from a nearby home," Schalk said. "And the video footage leaves zero-doubt as to what happened. It clearly showed that the officer was justified in his actions and decisions to use lethal force."

Schalk went on to express incredulity as to Moore's motives.

"We are not able to come up with a logical explanation for why he was in Harrison County," he said. "This was a senseless, senseless killing."

"I have watched this body camera footage more than I'd like to, trying to make sense of a senseless killing. In a civilized and decent society, people shouldn't be killed for simply helping out," Schalk said.

"However, there was nothing decent or civil about Mr. Moore's final moments. The body camera footage made it very clear that he was determined to kill, and he acted with a depraved indifference towards human life."

"And while it was clear that Mr. Moore may have been agitated during the stop, there was nothing that would have ever indicated that he was about to attempt to kill multiple people," Schalk continued.

Schalk saidd that the Palmyra reserve officer, who had been with the department for four years, has taken a leave of absence.

"The officer narrowly avoided being hit by mere inches," Schalk said. "I have no doubt that but for his split-second decision making, he would have also been fatally wounded."

As for McClanahan, Schalk said he is "heartbroken" for his family.

"His legacy should not be defined by his final moments, but rather he should be remembered for having a servant's heart," Schalk said. "He died doing what he was known to do, helping others."

As a result of the findings, Schalk said that as the prosecuting attorney for Harrison County, he was closing the investigation.

The body camera footage was not provided.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls issued a brief statement addressing what some saw as a hesitancy to release information about the case before today.

"From the moment this case began — this tragic event — Indiana State Police detectives and troopers were hard at work," Huls said. "I know there were a lot of questions early on that we could not answer, but we do that because we just want to make sure that we have the correct answer and not to speculate."

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