Prosecutors plan to charge 15-year-old as adult in connection to EPD officer shooting

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Evansville, IN - A 15-year-old Evansville boy who was reportedly in a stolen car with the 18-year-old later accused of shooting an Evansville police officer on Sunday could face charges in adult court, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers said.

In an email to the Courier & Press, Moers said her office intends to file charges against him later this week, and then ask a judge to waive him to adult court.

"The office is still determining charges," she said Tuesday. Some they're discussing "would constitute felonies if filed directly into adult court."

The Courier & Press normally doesn't name juveniles charged with crimes unless the counts are felonies or the juvenile officially has been charged in adult court. His name will be published if he's transferred to adult court.

According to investigators, the juvenile was driving a stolen Toyota Corolla near the Rally's in the 1200 block of East Virginia Street around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Jailani Chew, 18, was in the passenger seat, police said. He's the person who police say shot and seriously injured EPD officer Sam Taylor.

When EPD responded to the scene, Chew and the juvenile exited the car and ran – Chew in one direction and the juvenile in another.

Body camera footage shared during a news conference Monday showed an officer tasing and apprehending the juvenile as he fled. As the arrest was taking place, however, gunshots rang out. The arresting officer left to assist at the shooting scene, and the juvenile ran away again.

Authorities later tracked him to the roof of Joshua Academy charter school, where he was arrested.

The shooting took place near U.S. 41, at a gas station across the street from Rally's. Footage from a bodycam worn by Taylor shows the officer sprinting after the suspect just as they attempt to carjack an SUV sitting near a gas pump with its owner inside.

The footage shows a man police identified as Chew turning and firing at Taylor, who falls.

Taylor was struck twice. EPD Chief Phil Smith said he could lose the use of his "lower extremities."

EPD officer Seth Gorman returned fire and shot Chew. The suspect was taken to the hospital before being released and booked into the Vanderburgh County jail on $1 million bond.

He's since been charged with two counts of attempted murder as a Level 1 felony; armed robbery as a Level 3 felony; resisting law enforcement as a Level 5 felony; and six counts of criminal recklessness, all Level 6 felonies.