Police in Indiana are investigating a Sunday afternoon drive-by shooting on Milburn Boulevard in Mishawaka that left a St. Joseph County corrections officer dead.
The shots rang out a little before 6:10 p.m. Sunday as police and scanner traffic indicate a man in a silver car fired multiple shots at a woman in the back of a house in the 1900 block of Milburn Boulevard from an alley behind the residence.
28-year-old Rhema Harris was shot in the chest and later died at the hospital, police said.
Harris was a corrections officer at the St. Joseph County Jail and was in the testing process to become a patrol officer with the St. Joseph County Police Department.
Harris became a corrections officer in July 2021 and served in the United States Army prior to that, according to the release.
In addition to Harris, there were a handful of other people inside the house at the time of the shooting.
Callers advised dispatchers the car drove off going west after the shooting and police are still looking for the person responsible. Detectives have interviewed multiple people who were at the scene, though no arrests have been made as of Monday morning.
Sheriff Redman released the following statement:
It is with great sadness that I announce the tragic passing of St. Joseph County Correctional Officer Rhema Harris, who was killed in yet another senseless act of violence yesterday afternoon in the City of Mishawaka.
The Mishawaka Police Department is continuing to investigate the drive-by shooting which occurred on Sunday, June 26, 2022, at approximately 6:00 pm. As a result of her injury, Rhema was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Rhema Harris was hired as a correctional officer by our department on July 12, 2021. She was assigned to our 3rd detail (midnight) shift in the jail. Rhema was also in the testing process to become a St. Joseph County Police Officer. Rhema proudly served her country in the United States Army. She received a national defense service award, global war on terrorism service medal and an Army service ribbon, before being honorably discharged in 2016.
I ask that everyone please keep Rhema Harris, her family and her correctional officer family in your thoughts and prayers.
Sheriff Redman
An autopsy for Harris is scheduled for Tuesday in Kalamazoo.
No arrests have been made at this time.
Investigators ask that anyone with information about the incident call Mishawaka police at 574-258-1684 or Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.
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