{
  "id": "2024-07-30-purdue-fort-wayne-officer-shooting",
  "slug": "purdue-fort-wayne-officer-shooting-2024-07-30",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Purdue University Fort Wayne",
    "shortName": "PFW",
    "state": "IN",
    "type": "public-masters",
    "alertSystemName": "PFW Alert",
    "enrollment": 7500
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-07-30",
    "type": "armed-person",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Police fatally shoot a wanted fugitive on campus; campus closed for the day",
    "headlinePublic": "Police fatally shoot a wanted fugitive on campus; campus closed for the day",
    "summary": "On July 30, 2024, Fort Wayne Police tracked a [wanted fugitive believed to be armed to the Purdue Fort Wayne campus](https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/police-investigating-shooting-on-purdue-fort-waynes-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](https://www.wboi.org/government/2024-07-30/police-action-shooting-prompts-pfw-closure-for-the-day) as an officer-involved shooting investigation was conducted.",
    "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.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Shortly after 8:00 AM EDT on July 30, 2024",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceDescription": "WANE, WBOI, and Journal Gazette reporting",
      "annotations": []
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestampApprox": "After 9:00 AM EDT on July 30, 2024",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "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.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.wboi.org/government/2024-07-30/police-action-shooting-prompts-pfw-closure-for-the-day",
      "sourceDescription": "WBOI (NPR) and Journal Gazette quoted this verbatim from the email sent by PFW to faculty, staff, and students on July 30, 2024",
      "annotations": [
        "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"
      ],
      "characterCount": 381
    }
  ],
  "context": "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](https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/police-investigating-shooting-on-purdue-fort-waynes-campus/). 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](https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/man-dead-after-officer-involved-shooting-on-purdue-university-fort-wayne-campus/article_88f99840-4e8d-11ef-af2c-27d9cfadbdc9.html). PFW issued alerts and [shut down the campus for the remainder of the day](https://www.wboi.org/government/2024-07-30/police-action-shooting-prompts-pfw-closure-for-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](https://www.wane.com/top-stories/coroner-identifies-man-shot-killed-by-fwpd-on-purdue-fort-waynes-campus/), with the manner of death classified as homicide by police action.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "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"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Police shoot, kill DeKalb County man near Purdue Fort Wayne's campus (WANE)",
      "url": "https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/police-investigating-shooting-on-purdue-fort-waynes-campus/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Police action shooting prompts PFW closure for the day (WBOI/NPR)",
      "url": "https://www.wboi.org/government/2024-07-30/police-action-shooting-prompts-pfw-closure-for-the-day",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Man dead after officer involved shooting on Purdue Fort Wayne campus (Journal Gazette)",
      "url": "https://www.journalgazette.net/local/police-fire/man-dead-after-officer-involved-shooting-on-purdue-university-fort-wayne-campus/article_88f99840-4e8d-11ef-af2c-27d9cfadbdc9.html",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Coroner identifies man shot, killed by FWPD on PFW campus (WANE)",
      "url": "https://www.wane.com/top-stories/coroner-identifies-man-shot-killed-by-fwpd-on-purdue-fort-waynes-campus/",
      "type": "local-media"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "medium",
  "tags": [
    "officer-involved-shooting",
    "armed-person",
    "fugitive",
    "campus-closure",
    "indiana",
    "no-student-involvement",
    "law-enforcement"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-03",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}