Officer Involved Shooting, Mental Health and Training for Stress Performance with Elias Donker

This weeks episode is brought to you by Do Hard Things Coaching and Consulting.  This week we talk to Elias Donker. We discuss his involvement in a OIS, Mental Health and Training for Stress Performance.

On April 11, 2020, deputies with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a suspicious person.  Units located a vehicle in the wood line east of Crews Place north of Illiana road.  The vehicle had shattered windows and as deputies exited their vehicles to investigate they observed multiple knives behind the vehicle.  Deputies attempted to make contact with the owner of the vehicle by PA system as it was a wooded area and they were not able to see anyone.  A short time later, shots were fired at the deputies with multiple rounds hitting one of the deputies marked SUV.  Deputies took cover behind their vehicles but could not see where the gunshots were coming from.  Other deputies responded along with officers from other local agencies as well as state troopers.  The initial deputies continued to take fire from the wooded area north of them but still could not see the suspect to engage.

Deputy Elias Donker was one of the first units to respond.  Hearing sporadic gunfire along with the fact that deputies were pinned down by that gunfire, he decided to move across an open field to a tree line west of where the shots were being fired in an attempt to flank the suspect.  Once Deputy Donker advanced to the tree line he took a defensive position and could hear movement and shots being fired but was not able to see the suspect.  Other officers went to assist Deputy Donker at his position to flank the suspect.  Shots were fired in the direction of the responding officers but they could not locate the suspect.  Shortly after the last shots were fired that impacted the area where responding officers were flanking the suspect, Deputy Donker observed the suspect prone in the brush raising a handgun in his direction.  Deputy Donker fired several shots at the suspect and the shooting stopped.  Not knowing if the suspect was struck, officers held their positions until an armored vehicle with Terre Haute Police Special Response Team members could safely approach.  A short time later they were able to locate the suspect and confirm he was deceased.  An autopsy performed on the suspect confirmed he was shot and killed as a result of Deputy Donker returning fire.

Deputy Donkers’ quick action in an extremely dangerous situation saved the lives of responding deputies and officers who were being fired upon.  With no regard for his personal safety, he crossed an open field to flank an armed suspect who was actively shooting at officers who were pinned down.  Deputy Donker moved to a position of cover and engaged the suspect after being fired upon thus ending the dangerous situation. 

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