At approximately 12:20 PM, Wednesday, in the 3400 block of Maryland Street, members of the Gary Police Department’s Investigation Unit conducted an operation involving an undercover officer. This operation was initiated following a surge in robbery reports related to social media marketplace exchanges, according to Gary Police. The Gary Police Department had been receiving numerous reports of robberies linked to social media marketplace transactions since October 2024. In response, an undercover operation was set up, during which officers posed as buyers with the goal of apprehending the suspect. A 32-year veteran of the Gary Police Department approached the suspect to initiate the exchange. During this interaction, the suspect attacked the officer with a machete style weapon. The nearby reaction team witnessed the encounter, and an officer discharged their firearm at the suspect. The suspect was subsequently shot and transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The injured police officer is currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. The deceased suspect has been identified by the Lake County Coroner as Shahaud Richmond, 21, of Gary. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau is investigating the officer-involved shooting, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. The officer involved in the incident will be placed on administrative leave pending investigation, Gary Police said