Indiana Judge Steven Meyer Home Shooting Came Without Prior Threats, Police Say, as Manhunt Continues
Lafayette police say Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, were shot inside their Mill Pond Lane home after an assailant knocked, said “We have your dog,” and fired through the front door around 2:15 p.m.; both were wounded (Meyer in the arm, his wife in the hip) and remain hospitalized in stable condition, and police say there were no prior recorded threats or 911 calls from the address. A multi‑agency manhunt involving Lafayette PD, Indiana State Police, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette PD, the Tippecanoe County prosecutor and the FBI is ongoing with no arrests, suspect description or motive released; Kimberly Meyer and local leaders have publicly thanked investigators and responders, and the attack has drawn attention in part because Meyer presided over the high‑profile Natalia Grace case.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- A gunman attacked Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly at their Lafayette home on Mill Pond Lane around 2:15 p.m.; shell casings were recovered at the scene.
- Dispatch audio indicates the attacker knocked, said "We have your dog," and then fired through the front door; police say the assailant remains at large with no suspect description released and no arrests made.
- Both victims survived and remain hospitalized in stable condition — Meyer with an arm injury and Kimberly with a hip injury.
- Lafayette Police say there were no prior recorded threats against Meyer and no prior 911 calls from the Mill Pond Lane address; investigators have not identified a motive and are keeping multiple theories open.
- A multi-agency manhunt is underway, involving the Lafayette Police Department, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI; police ask anyone with information to contact Lafayette PD at 765-807-1200.
- Kimberly Meyer issued a public statement thanking investigators, first responders and medical personnel and expressing confidence in the investigation; Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the attack a "senseless unacceptable act of violence" and pledged "every available resource" to find those responsible.
- Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush sent a statewide letter urging judges to remain vigilant about their security, linking the incident to broader concerns about judicial safety.
- Meyer is a Democrat who has served about 12 years on the Tippecanoe Superior Court, gained national attention for presiding over the Natalia Grace case, and had already announced he would not seek reelection in 2026.
đź“° Source Timeline (8)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 21, 2026
5:26 PM
Indiana judge shooting came out of nowhere as police hunt mystery suspect, cops say
New information:
- Lafayette Police say there were no prior recorded threats against Judge Steven Meyer and no prior 911 calls from his Mill Pond Lane address.
- Dispatch audio indicates the shooter knocked and said 'We have your dog' before firing through the front door.
- Colleagues report Meyer remains hospitalized in stable condition, and local officials say this is the first recorded act of violence against him.
- The article reiterates Meyer’s profile: a Democrat, 12 years on the Tippecanoe Superior Court bench, nationally known for presiding over the Natalia Grace case and having already announced he would not seek reelection in 2026.
12:08 AM
Indiana police still searching for suspect, motive after county judge shot, injured
New information:
- CBS reiterates that both Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly remain hospitalized in stable condition following the weekend shooting inside their Lafayette home.
- Indiana police say they are still searching for a suspect and have not publicly identified a motive, keeping multiple theories open.
- The CBS segment underscores that state and federal authorities are involved in the manhunt and that the attack occurred after someone came to the Meyers’ front door.
January 20, 2026
10:46 PM
Manhunt underway after Indiana judge and wife shot in their home
New information:
- Confirms that police and other agencies are still searching for the suspect days after the shooting.
- Frames the situation explicitly as an active manhunt for an armed attacker who shot the judge and his wife inside their Lafayette home.
- Reinforces that both victims were wounded but survived, consistent with earlier reports.
10:30 PM
Indiana judge in bizarre Natalia Grace case shot in home attack as police hunt suspect
New information:
- Confirms that Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer previously presided over the highly publicized Natalia Grace adoption/neglect case involving Michael and Kristine Barnett.
- Links Meyer’s national notoriety to the current shooting, detailing the Barnetts’ allegations that Natalia Grace was an adult posing as a child and the 2022 jury acquittal/dismissal of charges.
- Provides additional context on Grace’s background, medical condition (spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita), and the Barnetts’ successful petition to change her legal birth year from 2003 to 1989.
6:02 PM
Police search for suspect in the shooting that injured an Indiana judge and his wife
New information:
- PBS confirms both Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly are in stable condition, with injuries to his arm and her hip.
- Lafayette Police say the investigation remains active and now involves local, state and federal agencies, but they have not released any suspect description or motive.
- Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush sent a statewide letter urging judges to remain vigilant about their security, explicitly tying the shooting to broader concerns about judicial safety.
- Kimberly Meyer released a public statement expressing 'great confidence' in investigators and gratitude to responding officers and medical staff.
5:31 PM
Suspected gunman uttered 4 words before shooting Indiana judge and wife: dispatch audio
New information:
- Dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital quotes the gunman saying, 'We have your dog,' before firing a shot through the front door.
- Audio indicates the assailant first knocked on the door and spoke to the Meyers before opening fire.
- The piece reiterates that no suspect description has yet been released and no arrests have been made, confirming the gunman remains at large.
2:45 AM
Judge and wife shot in broad daylight in Indiana, sparking massive multi-agency investigation
New information:
- Lafayette Police specify that shell casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting on Mill Pond Lane around 2:15 p.m.
- Kimberly Meyer issued a public statement through police thanking investigators, first responders and medical personnel and expressing confidence in the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation.
- Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the attack a "senseless unacceptable act of violence" and pledged that "every available resource" is being used to find those responsible.
- Fox article lists all agencies formally involved: Lafayette Police Department, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI.
- Police reiterate that no arrests have been made and urge anyone with information to contact Lafayette PD at 765-807-1200.
January 19, 2026