http://www.theindychannel.com/news/15992668/detail.html
INDIANAPOLIS -- The twins a pregnant bank teller was carrying when she was
shot during a robbery this week have died, the Marion County coroner's
office said Friday.
One of Katherin Shuffield's twins was born dead, and the other died after
birth, said Marion County's chief deputy coroner, Alfarena Ballew. One
death
happened Thursday night, and the other Friday morning, the coroner's
office
told 6News' Jack Rinehart.
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Slideshow: Police Seek Shooter
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Shuffield, 30, of Franklin, was five months pregnant when she was shot in
the lower abdomen Tuesday in a robbery at Huntington National Bank, 2030
N.
Post Road. Police said a gunman entered the bank, jumped the teller
counter
and shot Shuffield before taking money and leaving.
Shuffield's husband, Jason, said in a statement that his wife remained in
critical condition at Methodist Hospital.
"Katherin's recovery is our top priority," he said.
Officials had said no bullet struck the fetuses, but Shuffield's appendix
and a large part of her small intestines had to be removed.
Ballew said she would examine both fetuses to determine the causes of
death.
Prosecutors could consider additional charges, such as feticide, against
the
gunman because the fetuses have died, said Marion County chief trial
prosecutor David Wyser. In order for manslaughter charges to be filed in
Indiana, Shuffield would have had to have been at least seven months
pregnant, he said.
Arrestees Won't Be Charged In Teller Shooting; 1 Accused Of False
Informing
Several men who police said were arrested Wednesday in connection with the
robbery will not faces charges in the robbery and shooting, but one will
be
charged on suspicion of lying to investigators, officials said Friday.
Authorities said the arrests were made based on false information from one
of the arrestees, Shed James Jr., 25.
James "flat-out lied" and "has not explained why," Wyser said.
Police arrested James and three other people Wednesday on preliminary
charges of conspiracy to commit robbery. On Friday, the Marion County
prosecutor's office said it wouldn't file those charges, and that
investigators determined James had fed to investigators lies that led to
the
arrests.
Prosecutors intend to file a false informing charge against James,
Rinehart
reported.
Shed James Jr.
Indianapolis police on Friday downplayed the degree to which the alleged
lies set them back.
"Depending on the information that we obtained through the help of the
community -- that's not unusual," Indianapolis police Lt. Jeff Duhamell
said. "Some of the search warrants may lead us to a different path in the
investigation and that's not unusual. We are continuing to be vigilant in
our investigation."
The men had been in custody on a 72-hour hold, the window that authorities
use to detain suspects while gathering evidence before filing charges.
Police Check Whether Car Used In Robbery, Shooting
Police declined to say Friday whether the gold Dodge Intrepid they found
Thursday was the car the shooter used to flee.
Investigators questioned the owner of that car Thursday, police said.
A source told Rinehart the car's owner reported it stolen Thursday
afternoon -- after police announced they found the vehicle abandoned in a
parking lot in the 5600 block of Post Road.
Police are suspicious about why the owner reported it missing after it was
recovered, the source said. Authorities had said earlier they were looking
for the car in connection with Tuesday morning's bank robbery and
shooting.
A police detective said the vehicle smelled as if a dye pack -- an
antitheft
device that banks keep with their money -- had exploded in or near the
vehicle.
Police had said they believed whoever robbed the bank picked up a dye pack
as he grabbed money from the bank's drawers.
Robbery Details
Police said the gunman entered the bank at about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday while
one
customer and three employees were inside. Though no one resisted, the
gunman
went over the teller counter and shot Shuffield, police said.
After Shuffield was shot, witnesses told police, the robber grabbed cash
from some drawers and fired a bullet at an empty chair before exiting the
bank. A block to the west, at least one person saw him enter the passenger
side of a gold, late-model Dodge Intrepid with dull, worn paint, police
said.
The Intrepid sped away and a new, bright blue Honda Pilot SUV followed,
the
witness said, prompting police to wonder whether the SUV's occupants were
linked to the robber. Information about how much money the robber took
wasn't available.
Witnesses described the shooter as black, 6 feet 2 inches tall and
weighing
about 215 pounds. He was wearing a blue stocking cap, a dark face
covering,
a gray jacket, blue jeans and dark shoes with light-colored heels,
witnesses
told police. Police said he also wore sunglasses and teal surgical gloves
and was carrying a 9 mm gun.
Though the gunman's face was covered, authorities developed a sketch of
him
based on witness descriptions and released it Tuesday night. Police also
released pictures of two vehicles similar to the ones they're seeking in
connection with the incident.
The Rev. Barnes United Methodist Church called on the shooter
to
surrender to a certain group of ministers. "We will bring you in and work
with the police if you are afraid to turn yourself in to the law
enforcement
community," Harrison said Wednesday.
At a news conference late Wednesday afternoon, some local ministers called
on the shooter to surrender to one of them, arguing that the process of
them
handing the shooter to police might be smoother for him than police
finding
him.
Police endorsed the ministers' offer. They also said anyone with
information
about the shooting should call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at
317-262-8477.
A benefit fund for Shuffield was established. Donations can be made to:
Katherin Shuffield Benefit Fund
c/o Huntington Bank, Attn: Main Office Branch
45 N. Pennsylvania St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
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