Published: August 28, 2008 05:57 pm         

Man found dead after shooting

Incident occurred as officers tried to serve arrest warrant

A Logansport man died of a self-inflicted gunshot Thursday afternoon as police tried to serve a warrant at his home.

Logansport police officers arrived at 906 Sunset Drive, the residence of 53-year-old Terry LoCoco, about 4 p.m. Thursday with warrants for child solicitation, a class C felony, and disseminating matter harmful to minors, a class D felony.

As Assistant Chief A.J. Rozzi entered the front door of the home, he heard a gunshot and quickly exited the house. Officers set up a perimeter and called in the Logansport emergency response team.

Police blocked off roads in the area and called Logansport school officials to warn them about the stand-off taking place next to the high school campus.

After about an hour, SWAT members decked out with shields, bulletproof vests, assault rifles and a battering ram forced their way into the house after setting off a distraction device called a flash-bang. Once inside, they set off a second flash-bang.

Officers discovered LoCoco’s body inside a bedroom and called for Cass County medics. LoCoco was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound.

Rozzi said LoCoco was alone inside the house.

Immediately after the shooting, police contacted administrators at Logansport High School suggesting they place any students still on campus under lockdown.

Student athletes participating in after-school practices were taken to the Berry Bowl, but were released around 4:40 p.m. when administrators felt the situation was safe.

Traffic had to be rerouted from the area as police held bystanders and curious onlookers at bay.

Deputy Prosecutor Randy Head was at the scene. He said a judge heard testimony from police at a probable cause hearing on Wednesday. The judge ruled that there was enough evidence in the case and issued a warrant for LoCoco’s arrest.

Detective Robb Sweet initiated the investigation and had interviewed LoCoco, who reportedly knew the charges were coming.

According to police, LoCoco was accused of chatting online with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl. The conversations were reportedly sexual in nature. He also allegedly sent a photo of a topless woman to the girl, who was actually a Logansport police officer.

According to Rozzi, Sweet tried to serve the warrant Wednesday night, but LoCoco reportedly said he was out of town and would not be returning. On Thursday, Sweet drove by LoCoco’s house and saw his state-issued car in the driveway. He knocked on the door and called LoCoco’s phone, but no one answered.

Rozzi said that the night before LoCoco sounded upset, so police decided to check on his welfare.

Police fired no shots during the incident.

LoCoco, a former Logansport building commissioner, was a certified plans examiner through the state’s Division of Code Enforcement, according to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com