Gary police officer charged with firing gun during altercation

CROWN POINT | Prosecutors have charged a Gary police officer with intimidation, alleging the officer fired into the air during an altercation with a firefighter.

A probable cause affidavit filed Tuesday states police were called to an apartment complex in the 300 block of North Lake Street on Saturday where two men had been reporting fighting outdoors.

Identifying himself as a Gary firefighter, one of the men told police he was waiting for his girlfriend outside her building when he was approached by Laron Leslie.

Leslie, a police officer, allegedly told the firefighter, "You need to leave out of here. She ain't your girl anymore."

The men began arguing and Leslie pulled out a black handgun before backing off and firing five times in the air at two different locations, the affidavit states.

Leslie allegedly admitted firing several times into the air before going to his apartment in the same complex to reload his gun.

He also admitted he didn't call police, did not see the firefighter carrying any weapons and did not know in what direction he was firing his gun as he ran near several nearby tall apartment buildings, the affidavit states.

Gary Police Chief Wade Ingram was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.