Robbery suspect dead, hostage safe following police chase

MONON - A robbery suspect was shot dead by police, and his woman hostage is safe with only slight injuries following a harrowing police chaselate Thursday afternoon (April 9) that began in Watseka, Ill., continued through Lafayette and ended just north of Monon.

The suspect has been identified by Indiana State Police as Don Oneal Smith, 29, of the South Bend/Elkhart area.

Smith was shot after allegedly pointing a gun at police. Officers from two law enforcement agencies were involved in firing their weapons, the Indiana State Police and the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, according to police reports.

The incident began in Watseka, where Smith is accused of robbing a business at gunpoint. He fled on foot, according to an Indiana State Police news release, and was confronted by police at a car dealership. That’s where authorities say he took a woman, Danielle Grosvenor, hostage and fled in a Napa delivery truck, at about 3 p.m.

Police lost the truck after it crossed the state line into Indiana, and notified law enforcement agencies in Benton and Newton counties. Then about 5:30 p.m., a Lafayette business was robbed at gunpoint, and police say the Napa truck was involved. The driver led police north through Battle Ground into Brookston, where officers used stop sticks to try to end the pursuit. Smith ditched the damaged truck in a parking lot, according to police, and moved himself and his hostage into an SUV at gunpoint.

He drove north through Reynolds on U.S. 421 to Monon, where the local police department deployed stop sticks, disabling the SUV. The stolen vehcile hit another car while trying to avoid the sticks, according to police. Smith then ran a minivan off the road on the north side of Monon. Police say the minivan driver and two passengers escaped unharmed from their vehicle, while the suspect and his hostage got into it. Police boxed the van in, and say the suspect pointed a gun at them. Officers defended themselves and killed the suspect. The hostage escaped with the help of other officers. She was treated and released at a Monticello hospital. 

The two ISP troopers involved in the shooting were Trooper Weslee Ennis and Trooper Rick Hudson.  Both troopers have been assigned administrative duties until such time that a review board makes a determination of their actions taken Thursday evening.

The two Tippecanoe County deputies involved were Chris Black and Jon Lendermon. They are also on administrative leave until the investigation is completed.

Pulaski County Sheriff Jeff Richwine reports that his department was also called, as the chase began to approach the county, to assist with the suspect's apprehension.

News sources report that in 2005 Smith was sentenced to prison for a rape and robbery that occurred in Mishawaka. Court records show Smith was released from prison in 2013.