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ISP: Lawrenceburg man confronted police with knife before shooting

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WCPO Brandon Evans
Staci Lynn Coyne background.jpg
Posted at 7:29 AM, Oct 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-25 00:12:58-04

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. — LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. — Indiana State Police are investigating an early Saturday morning incident that ended in two deaths — one caused by local police — at a Lawrenceburg apartment complex.

“It's going to be a long investigation until we can try to put all these pieces together of what actually occurred," ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles said.

According to a Saturday afternoon news release from ISP, Lawrenceburg police received a call about a disturbance at Summit Pointe Apartments around 3 a.m. When they arrived, they were confronted by a naked man holding a knife.

A Lawrenceburg officer fired at the man, later identified as 33-year-old Brandon Evans. He died at the scene.

Officers searching the complex found the second body: 37-year-old Staci Coyne lay dead inside one of the apartments.

She was the victim of an apparent homicide, according to the ISP news release.

Coyne and Evans were in a relationship.

He was charged with battery June 9, but court records do not name Coyne in that incident. Evans was in the Dearborn County Jail until September.

At the time of his death, he was on probation and supposed to be in counseling.

ISP detectives were called to investigate the shooting that ended Evans’ life.

Neither the state police agency nor the Lawrenceburg Police Department has released the name of the officer involved.

Kathie Evans, another Summit Pointe resident who identified herself to reporters as Evans’ mother, said he and Coyne had been in a relationship.

“She was a sweetheart,” she said of Coyne. "She did everything in her power, too, and she loved him so much."

Brandon Evans had a history of untreated mental health problems, according to his mother.

“The only thing that was ever diagnosed was bipolar because he wouldn’t go and get help,” she said. “But I really think it was some kind of psychotic, and he wouldn’t get help. I tried and tried, but nothing. And that’s all I know."

These included intense “episodes,” which Evans guessed had been involved in his death.

"I just want to know he was loved, and I tried so hard to get him help,” she said.

The bodies of Coyne and Evans will be transported to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office where an autopsy will be performed.