NORTH VERNON — Indiana State Police have released the investigatory report from Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding into an April 2023 officer-involved shooting.
The state police released a summary report of Belding’s findings Saturday afternoon in the officer-involved shooting that occured April 9, 2023 resulting in the death of Danielle Rachel Blake, 23.
The investigation was conducted by detectives with the Indiana State Police-Versailles
Post. Indiana State Police presented the results of their investigation to Belding for review.
According to the summary, North Vemon police officers Sgt. Adam Driver and Officer Allen were dispatched to 25 Thomas Drive, Apt. # 3, North Vemon for a domestic disturbance call.
Upon arrival, officers spoke to the caller, who was a relative of Blake. She went to her
apartment to talk to her about going to the hospital to get evaluated and there was a
confrontation. Blake was acting erratically and came out of the apartment with a golf club
threatening the relative which prompted the call to the police. The officers attempted to contact Blake but were not successful and left the scene for another call.
Driver and Allen retumed to 25 Thomas Drive after receiving a call fri the relative. It was the officer’s intention to make contact with Blake to detain her for
an emergency detention to have her admitted to the hospital for an evaluation.
Upon arrival, Driver was speaking to Blake through the window of the apartment. Blake was yelling profanities and talking nonsensically. Driver asked Blake to come out so they could speak to her, or they would come in. Blake responded, “Go ahead and try, I dare you. I’ll stab you.”
Driver observed her pick up a knife (described as a l0-12-inch serrated edge with a point)
and retreat to the back of the apartment out of view. At that point, Driver was concemed
for Blake’s safety and did not know if she was attempting to hurt herself or that she may exit through the back of the apartment posing a potential danger to someone else.
Deputy Ben Seastrom and Deputy Dylan Smock with the Jennings County Sheriff’s
Department arrived on scene. Driver, Allen, and Seastrom and Smock
entered the apartment and located Blake in the bathroom with the door closed. Blake refused the officer’s repeated commands to come out of the bathroom. Allen breached the door of the bathroom and observed Blake on the floor next to the bathtub holding her knife. Blake was repeatedly told to drop the knife. Blake refused to drop the knife. Seastrom entered the bathroom and fired his stun device to obtain Blake’s compliance without success.
Thereafter, Smock fired his taser. Officers continued to order Blake to drop the knife
and she refused. Blake jumped into the bathtub behind her and closed the shower curtain.
Seastrom pulled the shower curtain back and observed Blake was laying in the bathtub
facing them making stabbing motions with the knife. Officers and deputies continued to order her to drop the knife. Again, Blake refused to drop the knife. Seastrom picked up a
golf club that was in the bathroom and told Blake that he would hit her with it if she did not drop the knife. Blake did not drop the knife. Seastrom tried to knock the knife out of
Blake’s hand and was not able to get her to release the knife. Suddenly, she stood up, stepped out of the tub, raised the knife up and began advancing aggressively toward Seastrom, stating, “I will kill you.” Both officers felt that Seastrom and their lives were in danger.
Driver and Allen fired their duty weapons striking Blake. Blake was given
immediate medical attention and later passed away due to her injuries.
In summary, on page twenty-four (24) of his report, Prosecutor Belding stated,
“Therefore, considering all the evidence, Sgt. Driver and Officer Allen were justified in using
deadly force in defense of themselves and Deputy Seastrom on April 9,2024. There will be no criminal liability on the part of Sgt. Driver and Officer Allen.”
