Indiana State Police trooper wounded in shootout returns home from the hospital

An Indiana State Police trooper who was shot in the line of duty one week ago has been released from the hospital.

Sgt. Justin Heflin walked out of Memorial Hospital in South Bend as other state troopers and officers from other departments saluted him on Friday.

Heflin was responding to a stolen vehicle call on July 10, when the suspect, later identified as 54-year-old Kevin W. Meyers, fired multiple shots from a rifle and pointed a gun at pursuing officers.

The chase ended in a crash near a Speedway gas station after exiting Interstate 94 at U.S. Route 421. The suspect then fired at Heflin from inside the stolen pickup truck, hitting him multiple times.

Heflin returned fire as Meyers drove away.

Police later found the stolen truck in a wooded area about 5 miles away from the crash site. As officers moved in, police said Meyers shot and killed himself.

Heflin, a 12-year veteran with ISP and a U.S. Marine veteran, was taken to Franciscan Health Michigan City by responding officers for emergency care before being taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where his condition was stabilized after undergoing successful surgery, police said.

Heflin was released from the hospital one week later and returned home with his family to continue his recovery.