Authorities are investigating the shooting of an Indiana state court judge and his wife at their home in Lafayette on Sunday afternoon, police said.
The shooting injured Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, the Lafayette Police Department said in a news release. They are both in stable condition after receiving medical attention.
Police officers responded to a report of a shooting on their block around 2:17 p.m. Sunday. The judge was injured on an arm, his wife on her hip. Authorities recovered shell casings at the scene.
The Lafayette Police Department is investigating the incident jointly with the Indiana State Police, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, the West Lafayette Police Department, the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI.
"I have great confidence in the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation and want to thank all the agencies involved for their work," Kimberly Meyer said in a statement. She also thanked the medical personnel who cared for her and her husband.
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski said in a statement that his "thoughts and prayers go out" to the Meyer family.
"I want to ensure the community that every available resource is being used to apprehend the individual(s) responsible for this senseless unacceptable act of violence," Roswarski added.
In a message to Indiana trial and appellate court judges, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush said she was "deeply grateful" the judge and his wife were alive.
"I worry about the safety of all our judges. As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe," Rush said. "Any violence against a judge or a judge’s family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law."
Rush urged the state's judges to "please remain vigilant in your own security."
In a separate statement, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Supreme Court said there are conversations underway about securing "coverage" for Steven Meyer's bench, Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 2.
Steven Meyer recently announced he planned to retire at the end of his current term, saying in a news release that he would not seek re-election in November.
He was first elected to the state bench in 2014, according to a short biography published by the state. He has also served as a member and president of the Lafayette City Council.
He was previously a shareholder and managing partner at the firm Ball Eggleston PC, and he practiced law in the Lafayette area for 30 years.
