Police officials in Lafayette, Ind., said they had arrested five people in connection with the nonfatal shootings five days ago of a prominent local judge and his wife, a case that raised alarms about attacks on the judiciary.
The arrests followed an attack on Sunday in which a man, who lured his victims to the front door of their home claiming to have found a dog, shot through the door, injuring Judge Steven P. Meyer of Tippecanoe County Superior Court and his wife in Lafayette, the police said.
Judge Meyer, 66, who was shot in the arm, is recovering but remains hospitalized. His wife, Kimberly Meyer, was treated for an injury to her leg and has been released from the hospital.
The Lafayette police issued a news release late Thursday announcing the arrests of five people in connection with the case, including three residents of Lafayette and two residents of Lexington, Ky.
Thomas Moss, 43; Blake Smith, 32; and Amanda Milsap, 45, all of Lafayette, were charged with attempted murder as well as other alleged crimes, the release said.
Raylen Ferguson, 38, and Zenada Greer, 61, both of Lexington, were charged with less serious counts, including obstruction of justice.
Officials did not disclose a motive in the release but said the case had been solved through a multistate investigation involving hundreds of hours.
The shootings prompted Loretta Rush, the chief justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, to warn judges to remain vigilant.
“I worry about the safety of all our judges,” Chief Justice Rush wrote in a public statement. “As you work to peacefully resolve more than one million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe.”
The warning followed an increasing number of physical attacks and threats on public officials, including at the local level, over the past several years.
Judge Meyer, who had recently announced plans to retire at the end of the year, had served on the bench for 12 years, presiding over a number of high-profile cases in the area. Before that, he had been a member of the Lafayette City Council.
In a statement on Wednesday, Judge Meyer expressed strong faith in the judicial system.
“This horrific violence will not shake my belief in the importance of peacefully resolving disputes,” he wrote. “I remain confident we have the best judicial system in the world and I am proud to be part of it.”
Chris Hippensteel and Christina Morales contributed reporting. Kirsten Noyes contributed research.
Stephanie Saul reports on colleges and universities, with a recent focus on the dramatic changes in college admissions and the debate around diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education.
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