‘A Crime of Opportunity’: Fort Wayne Homeowner Recounts Terrifying Break-in That Led to Fatal Police Shooting

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A local woman is speaking out after a residential break-in at her Wells Street home escalated into a fatal confrontation between responding police officers and an intruder.

The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, described the harrowing moments that unfolded in the early hours of Friday, September 6, 2024. She believes her home was targeted in a "crime of opportunity" after the suspect managed to gain access to the property in the 1500 block of Wells Street.

According to her account, she woke up to suspicious noises inside her house and immediately contacted 911. Officers from the Fort Wayne Police Department arrived on the scene within minutes. When police entered the home, they encountered the suspect, later identified by the Allen County Coroner’s Office as 58-year-old John Edward McCloud.

A Fatal Confrontation Indoors

What began as a burglary investigation quickly turned violent. During the encounter inside the residence, shots were fired by responding Officer Julian Mestre. McCloud was struck by gunfire and was pronounced dead at the scene by arriving emergency medical services.

The homeowner described the psychological toll the incident has taken on her. "You never think it will happen to you until you're waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of gunshots in your own hallway," she shared. "It completely shatters your sense of security."

"It was a terrifying crime of opportunity. I'm just grateful the police arrived when they did, even though the outcome was tragic."

The Indiana State Police have taken the lead on the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, which is standard procedure. The homeowner was uninjured in the incident, and no police officers sustained physical injuries during the encounter.