Staff report

A former Warren G. Harding High School athlete was reportedly killed Wednesday in an officer-involved shooting in Indianapolis.

Reports indicate that Dalys Jett, 21, died in the shooting after police said he had fired a gun at a group of police officers.

Jett was a 2023 Harding graduate, where he played football and basketball.

“Loved the kid. Loved his spirit, his energy, his positive attitude,” said former Raiders football coach Steve Arnold. “He was a leader for our team, very enthusiastic.

“As I talk to some of my former assistants, we’re still in shock right now.”

According to a posting on the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Facebook page, police responded late Wednesday to a disturbance among multiple people on East 37th Street with a report that a male involved was possibly armed with a gun.

Reports indicate officers arrived on the scene and encountered a male outside. During the encounter, the male fired shots, striking two police officers. At least three officers returned fire, striking the suspect at least once.

Reports indicate the officers rendered medical aid to both the injured officers and the suspect. The suspect was transported by medics to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to reports.

The suspect’s firearm was located at the scene.

“Don’t know what happened. Things weren’t right — something transpired, something happened,” Arnold said of Jett. “I know the young man that we knew here, the student-athlete in Warren, Ohio; he was a special young man for us.”

The officers who discharged their firearms were equipped with body-worn cameras, which were activated during the shooting.

The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency responded to collect potential forensic evidence. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office also responded to assist in the investigation.

The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team is leading the criminal investigation. A separate administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs. As standard procedure in officer-involved shooting incidents, the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.

Following the criminal investigation, the civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board will hold a mandatory hearing regarding the attempted use of deadly force.

Warren Schools Superintendent Steve Chiaro said it would not be the place of the school district to make comments “respectfully, on a horribly tragic event” of a former student.

“We’re praying for his family, for his former teammates here that he was close to,” Arnold said. “Give people strength to deal with this tragedy, with this ordeal. It’s not easy. We’re still trying to wrap our hands around what happened.

“You hear various things. … What happened last night is still kind of unbelievable, because the Dalys Jett that we knew here was not the Dalys Jett of his actions (Wednesday).”

Reports indicate the two officers shot in the line of duty are on the road to recovery.

“We are relieved to report that one officer has been released from the hospital. The second officer remains in stable condition at the hospital. Please keep these officers and everyone involved in this incident in your thoughts and prayers,” according to the police statement issued Thursday afternoon.