Railroad officer cleared in shooting of boy, 13, in Elkhart

Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker announced Thursday that a railroad police officer won’t face criminal charges for firing shots that wounded a 13-year-old boy who led police on a car chase.

Becker said a grand jury decided to clear Norfolk Southern officer Kyle Perry for his actions in the May 7 shooting. Becker said the teen was wounded in the shoulder and hospitalized for one night.

Becker said the boy was a runaway who was driving a stolen car when an Elkhart officer tried to stop the vehicle for dangerous driving. The teen led police on a 2-mile chase and the railroad officer was aiding an officer in blocking the car when the driver accelerated backward toward him.

Becker said Perry fired seven shots.