Wording not preserved
A initial alert message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
PFW
Police fatally shoot a wanted fugitive on campus; campus closed for the day
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedConfirmed Threat
On July 30, 2024, Fort Wayne Police tracked a wanted fugitive believed to be armed to the Purdue Fort Wayne campus, where officers fatally shot the man near Kettler Circle and Campus Drive after he failed to comply with commands. The campus was closed for the remainder of the day as an officer-involved shooting investigation was conducted.
- Alerts
- 2
- Response
- —
- Killed
- 0
- Injured
- 0
~7,500 studentsPFW Alert
Documented Timeline
Alert Sequence
2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim
Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.
Verified verbatimWBOI (NPR) and Journal Gazette quoted this verbatim from the email sent by PFW to faculty, staff, and students on July 30, 2024381 chars
The campus of Purdue University Fort Wayne (including Indiana University Fort Wayne) is closed for the remainder of the day Tuesday, July 30, due to an ongoing police investigation on the west side of campus between Kettler Hall and the river. The Fort Wayne Police Department confirmed there is no active threat and the incident involved no one affiliated with either PFW or IUFW.
Verbatim text from the PFW campus-wide email of July 30, 2024 as quoted in WBOI and Journal Gazette reporting
The phrase 'no active threat' is explicit Clery-style wording, meaning the immediate danger had passed even though the investigation continued
Including the geographic detail ('west side of campus between Kettler Hall and the river') let the recipient community visualize the crime-scene perimeter without sending them toward it
Context
Background
On the morning of July 30, 2024, the DeKalb County Community Corrections office contacted Fort Wayne Police at approximately 7:17 AM EDT to help locate a man who had not returned to custody and was believed to be armed with a handgun. Officers tracked the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Gawon Benson, to the Purdue Fort Wayne campus near Kettler Circle and Campus Drive. When Benson did not respond to officers' commands, FWPD officers fatally shot him. PFW issued alerts and shut down the campus for the remainder of the day, including the co-located Indiana University Fort Wayne campus. The university emphasized that no one affiliated with either institution was involved. The Allen County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, with the manner of death classified as homicide by police action.
Analysis
Key Findings
The incident originated off campus when a fugitive from DeKalb County Community Corrections fled to the PFW campus while armed
FWPD officers fatally shot the suspect after he failed to comply with commands near Kettler Circle
The entire PFW and IUFW campus was closed for the remainder of the day as police investigated
Outcome
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Gawon Benson, died from multiple gunshot wounds at the scene. The manner of death was classified as homicide by police action. No students, staff, or officers were injured. The campus remained closed for the full day on July 30.
Provenance
Sources
- News
- News
- News
- News
Cite this case
Campus Alert Archive. "Purdue University Fort Wayne: Police fatally shoot a wanted fugitive on campus; campus closed for the day." Incident of July 30, 2024. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/purdue-fort-wayne-officer-shooting-2024-07-30/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.
Tags
officer-involved-shootingarmed-personfugitivecampus-closureindianano-student-involvementlaw-enforcement
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion