Northern Indiana sheriff's deputy in critical condition after hospital shooting, suspect arrested

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A northern Indiana sheriff's deputy was hospitalized after being shot in the emergency room by a man was trying to help.

Indiana State Police said La Porte County Sheriff's Deputy Jon Samuelson, a 12-year veteran of the department, stopped Friday about 6:45 a.m. to help what appeared to be a disabled vehicle at State Road 2 and County Road 900 W in La Porte County, which is in northern Indiana near Lake Michigan.

The vehicle's only occupant asked Deputy Samuelson to take him to Franciscan Health in Michigan City, Indiana. Once inside the emergency room area, Deputy Samuelson learned the man may have been involved in a crime earlier in Illinois. ISP said an altercation started between the suspect and Samuelson and that's when the suspect produced a gun, shooting the deputy three times.

The suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Sharod Grafton Jr., of Chicago, then fled into a wooded area near the hospital where he was quickly located and arrested. During the search of the woods, police found a gun believed to have been used to shoot Samuelson.

"This officer thought he was helping a stranded motorist, and it turned into this," said Indiana State Police District 13 Public Information Officer Sgt. Glen Fifield. "So once again, he was out helping somebody. And it turned into this."

The La Porte County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Samuelson was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where he underwent eight hours of surgery that medical staff said was "successful." Samuelson, also a K-9 handler, remains in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

Grafton is charged with attempted murder, battery against a public safety official and auto theft. He is currently being held in the Porter County Jail.