PLYMOUTH –Police have released the names of the deputies who shot and killed a Plymouth man after a dangerous high-speed chase last week.
"The names of the officers who were involved in the police action shooting are Deputy Jeff Sharp and Deputy Jeff Snyder," according to a news release issued by Sgt. Trent Smith with Indiana State Police. "Both officers work for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department. Sharp has worked for the department since 1991 and Snyder has worked in the patrol division since 2000. Both Sharp and Snyder returned fire at [Mark Albright] after being fired upon."
Family members and friends of Albright, 62, gathered Friday at Plymouth’s American Legion. Albright was part owner of an Argos bar and his nephew told WSBT he was also an Army Veteran.
The coroner said Albright died from multiple gunshot wounds. The coroner would not say how many times Albright was shot because the investigation is still open.
There’s little sign of what happened near the corner of Quince Road and U.S. 6 where the pursuit ended – a rubber glove, crime scene tape & fresh cut flowers.
“It just seems crazy, you know?” asked Todd VanDerweele, owner of Piazzas in Argos. “Argos is a very small town and to have something like that happen is just head shaking.”
Albright was from Plymouth but was part owner of the Argos Tap and Grill.
“[He was] friendly,” added Louise Metsker. “He’d help you if you needed help. Good guy.”
Police say an officer suspected Albright was driving drunk and tried to pull him over on the north side of Argos around 8:30 Thursday night. But he wouldn’t stop.
He led officers on a 17 mile chase that ended near Quince Road and U.S. 6 when he fired shots at police and they fired back, killing him.
“I don’t know Mr. Albright real well,” Metsker said.
Friends and family who did know him well gathered inside the American Legion in Plymouth Friday, where Albright was an active member. His nephew told WSBT he was an Army veteran.
Thursday’s incident wasn’t his first run-in with the law.
According to court records, police arrested him in 2009 for disorderly conduct, resisting police and speeding. Albright was ticketed in 2008 for not wearing his seatbelt. In 2004 an officer arrested him for drunk driving, endangering the life of another person, carrying an unlicensed hand gun and speeding. In 2002 police caught him speeding again. And in 1998 he was arrested for driving drunk.
Albright is also listed as a defendant in a defamation lawsuit filed in 2010. According to court documents, a woman who used to work at Argos Bar and Grill said Albright accused her of stealing money before firing her. But according to court documents, he said she quit on her own.
That issue was set to go to trial in April.
“Everybody in here is very shocked,” said Metsker.
As they absorbed the news of what happened, those who knew Albright were also searching for answers about what happened and why.
Indiana State Police are handling the investigation.
Police from Argos, Walkerton, Marshall County and the Department of Natural Resources responded to the pursuit.
The coroner said he’ll know this week if Albright had alcohol in his system, and if he did it would be a couple months until he could tell how much.
