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St. John police officer charged with firing shots at off-duty cop, resigns

By FOX 32 Digital Staff
Published  February 7, 2023 10:25am CST
St. John
FOX 32 Chicago

Indiana police officer charged with shooting at off-duty cop

St. John Indiana police provided an update Wednesday on a shooting that involved an on-duty officer last November.

ST. JOHN, Ind. - A St. John, Indiana police officer who worked for the department for less than a year resigned Monday after being charged in a shooting involving an off-duty officer last November.

Officer Phillip Fabian, 33, allegedly fired several gunshots at a moving vehicle near the intersection of 93rd and Cline avenues on Nov. 29, according to St. John Police Chief Steven Flores.

Shortly after the incident occurred, the department released details saying Fabian was "checking on an abandoned, unoccupied suspicious vehicle" on the shoulder of the road when a passing car nearly hit him. "Fearing for his life," Fabian fired several times at the vehicle, which drove away from the scene, the department said at the time.

Fabian later caught up to the vehicle and placed the driver into custody, who was later determined to be an off-duty Hammond police officer, officials said. No one was injured in the shooting and Fabian was transported to a nearby hospital to be checked as a precaution, police said.

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Following the shooting, Fabian was put on paid administrative leave until the St. John Board of Safety met to discuss his status with the police department.

On Monday, St. John officials held a special meeting to consider recommendations from Flores regarding Fabian's future, but prior to the meeting, the board was notified that the officer had resigned from the police department.

"Prior to the meeting however, the Board was notified that Officer Fabian had tendered his resignation and is no longer an employed by the St. John Police Department, or the Town of St. John," Flores said in a statement.

Last week, Fabian was charged with felony criminal recklessness and a misdemeanor by the Lake County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Flores said dashcam and bodycam video of the incident exist, but those materials haven't been released due to the ongoing investigation.

Prior to his employment with the St. John Police Department, Fabian served with the East Chicago, Indiana Police Department.