LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Authorities have identified the suspect they say is responsible for a double homicide in New Albany Monday morning, as well as one of his victims.
According to Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls, 37-year-old Cherok Ameer Douglass is facing preliminary charges of Kidnapping and Robbery. He is expected to face additional charges soon.
Police say they were called to Circle K near the intersection of Beechwood Avenue and Grant Line Road in New Albany just after 10 a.m. on Monday, where the bodies of a man and a woman were seen on the ground.
On Tuesday morning, Huls identified the woman as Brandee Kay Douglass, the wife of the suspect. The identity of the second victim has not yet been publicly released, as authorities are still notifying his next-of-kin.
Police were also sent to a second scene near Interstate 265 and Charlestown Road. Neighbors reported seeing police activity and hearing what sounded like several gunshots near the vicinity of The Onion Restaurant & Tea House.
The two scenes were related, according to Sgt. Huls, and the second scene involved a hostage situation.
Huls said Cherok Douglass fled in a red SUV. Police said the car somehow became damaged, and Douglass got out of the vehicle and ran into The Onion Restaurant & Tea House. Inside, he allegedly took a woman hostage and forced her at gunpoint into a silver SUV.
Police said the woman eventually fell from the vehicle and was injured.
At that point, police said Douglass drove the vehicle at officers. That's when, Huls said, officers opened fire on Douglass, shooting him as he crashed the vehicle.
Police say one person is in custody after two people -- a man and a woman -- were shot to death at a New Albany gas station on the morning of Monday, April 4, 2022. Pictured here is a silver SUV driven police say was driven by the suspect, who was shot by officers after he allegedly drove toward them. (Image courtesy: Indiana State Police)
Both Douglass and the hostage -- who is not being identified -- were taken to the hospital. Their injuries were not believed to be life threatening, Huls said.
He said two officers with the New Albany Police Department fired their weapons, as did a deputy with the Floyd County Sheriff's Department.
New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey issued a statement Monday morning, saying in part that, "after an initial review of the incident it appears all officers at the scene of the officer involved shooting followed policy and acted appropriately."
Huls said originally the New Albany Police Department would handle the investigation of the Circle K homicide scene, while the Indiana State Police will investigate the scene at The Onion Restaurant & Tea House and the police-involved shooting. But on Tuesday morning, he said authorities decided that ISP would handle the entire investigation, in order to streamline the process.
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