SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) -- A Sellersburg woman who was shot by SWAT officers after an overnight standoff at her Sellersburg home is charged with attempted murder.
The incident started around 10 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 200 block of Liam Noble Circle. That's off Highway 60 between St. Joe Road and Poindexter Lane.
Neighbors say 52-year-old Lori Carpenter had just gotten home from a motorcycle ride with a friend.
ISP is investigating after officers shot a woman, putting her in the hospital in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/Do5ZK1TyGL
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Shortly after that, Sgt. Carey Huls from the ISP post in Sellersburg said a neighbor called 911 after hearing gunshots. Officers arrived at the scene and heard more gunshots. They later determined that the homeowner — Carpenter — was inside the home armed with a weapon.
"I thought it was just the firecrackers or cherry bombs or something," said Joel Myer, who lives nearby. "But then I couldn't figure out what they'd be celebrating on a Wednesday evening like that."
According to court documents, police spoke with a member of Carpenter's family, who said Carpenter was "drinking heavily, was intoxicated and was shooting guns in the house." The family member told police Carpenter had two guns: a pistol and a long gun.
Police called the Southeast Regional SWAT team to the scene just after 10:30 p.m., according to court documents. Just before midnight, members of the SWAT team approached the home and opened the garage door in an effort to see and communicate with Carpenter.
As the garage door opened, Carpenter went out the back door with a handgun in one hand and a phone in the other, according to court documents.
"Officers were giving her commands to put the gun down as she was pointing it towards officers behind cover," a probable cause affidavit states.
Police said they were also able to use a drone to spot Carpenter on the back deck with a handgun. Negotiators tried a variety of methods to communicate with the woman, including a loudspeaker, telephones and a drone-mounted camera, according to police.
According to court documents, officers came through the front door just after 12:20 a.m. so officers "could better see into the house." At that point, police said Carpenter, who had been on the phone with a crisis negotiator, hung up.
The SWAT team then started to come through inside garage door, and Carpenter fired a shot through the door, according to court documents.
There were three officers on the other side of the door when Carpenter allegedly fired the shot. None of the officers were hurt.
Police said Carpenter was still holding the gun when the door was opened. At that point, Harrison County Sheriff's Department SWAT Officer Sean O'Sullivan returned fire, hitting Carpenter.
Carpenter was taken to UofL Hospital where she underwent surgery. Her condition is listed as critical but she's expected to survive.
Huls said investigators were searching the area to see if any residences were struck by gunfire during the standoff.
One nearby neighbor said she was terrified during the standoff.
"We were on the ground to avoid any possible outcome of injury, or death or anything," Katie Adams said. "So it was definitely scary. This is probably the most scared I've ever been in my life."
ISP investigators said a teenager in the home left when shots were first fired.
Police believe Carpenter was under the influence of alcohol during the standoff. According to court records, she's charged with three counts of attempted murder. A judge set her bond at $100,000.
Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull said others could have been hurt or killed, which is one reason why he filed charges.
"The fact that we have an individual in a neighborhood that is discharging a firearm, is certainly something that puts everybody in that neighborhood at tremendous unease," Mull said. "It's a dangerous situation and it was necessary for the police to respond to this."
Police said a teenager lived at the home with Carpenter, but that person left immediately when Carpenter started firing.
That teen was not harmed, according to police.
Myer recalled having several conversations with the family.
"She was a nice lady," he said. "I let her walk in my driveway for exercise. I gave her tomatoes and stuff."
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