Police: Officer shoots 74-year-old man in Cedar Lake

CEDAR LAKE, Ind. (WLS) -- The Lake County Sheriff's Office said a Cedar Lake Police Officer shot a 74-year-old man Friday afternoon.

Sheriff's officials said a man called 911 at approximately 1:40 p.m., requested an ambulance to a home in the 7100-block of West 132nd Street and hung up.

"He gave them no details at all and then the call was disconnected," said Cedar Lakes Deputy Police Chief Carl Brittingham.

Three officers tracked the call and rushed to the house with very little information.

"When they arrived they were not on the phone with him so we did not know what he wanted, what he needed," Brittingham said.

When the officers arrived, a 74-year-old white male emerged from the home with a handgun. Police said the man refused to follow orders from the officer to drop his weapon, and pointed the gun at the officers.

"He was armed and it was visible," Brittingham said.

The Sheriff's Office said the officer feared for his safety and the safety of neighbors and fired at the man.

"I heard pop, pop, pop, and knew something had happened and we came out and heard they had shot someone. I saw them rush him out on a stretcher and hop him on the ambulance," a neighbor said.

The man was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital for treatment. The Lake County Sheriff's Department is investigating the shooting.

No officers were injured in the incident.