A Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office deputy and his K9 partner assisted the Evansville Police Department late Sunday night in apprehending two men wanted in connection with an armed robbery and vehicle theft. The arrests followed a vehicle pursuit, a foot chase, and a standoff at a residence on the city’s southeast side.
At approximately 10:32 p.m. on Sunday, July 12, 2026, Evansville Police officers were dispatched to the area of Louisiana Street and Heidelbach Avenue for a stolen vehicle in progress. The investigation quickly determined that an armed robbery had occurred. The victim reported being held at gunpoint by two armed men in a parking lot near the downtown baseball stadium and struck in the face with a handgun before the men fled in his vehicle, a black 2016 Dodge Journey. The victim sustained visible injuries.
EPD officers located the stolen vehicle a short time later, and a pursuit was authorized after the vehicle refused to stop. A Sheriff’s Office deputy patrolling nearby joined near the end of the pursuit. In the 800 block of Jackson Avenue, both suspects bailed out of the still-moving vehicle, which rolled into a parked car, and fled on foot toward the 800 block of Monroe Avenue.
Because the suspects were wanted in an armed robbery, had fled from law enforcement, and were believed to possibly still be armed, the deputy deployed his K9 partner to assist in locating them. As the deputy and K9 stood in the street in the 800 block of Monroe Avenue, the occupant of a nearby residence opened the front door and a pit bull ran from the home directly at the deputy and his K9 partner. The deputy yelled for someone to get the dog and pulled his K9 close to his side. When the dog charged forward and closed to within feet of the K9 team, the deputy discharged his service weapon to protect himself and his partner, fatally striking the dog.
The Sheriff’s Office regrets the loss of any family pet. The dog’s owner and multiple witnesses at the scene, including a nearby Evansville Police officer, confirmed that the dog ran directly at the deputy and his K9. The incident was captured on body-worn camera, which has been preserved. A supervisor responded to the scene, the dog’s owner was provided the case number and a point of contact for any questions, and Animal Control took custody of the dog.
An EPD K9 team tracked the fleeing suspects from the abandoned vehicle to a residence in the 800 block of Monroe Avenue, where officers and deputies established a perimeter and began calling occupants out. Several people exited the home and were detained. One suspect, later identified as Naydin Barnes, initially refused to surrender, repeatedly climbing onto the roof of the residence and shouting defiantly at officers. After more than an hour of negotiations, Barnes and a second suspect, Donyell Moore, exited the residence and were taken into custody without further incident. A judicially authorized search warrant obtained by EPD was later executed at the residence, where ammunition and other items of evidentiary value were recovered.
Naydin Barnes was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on the following preliminary charges:
- Robbery with a Deadly Weapon Resulting in Injury — Level 3 Felony
- Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon — Level 5 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement with a Motor Vehicle — Level 6 Felony
- Auto Theft — Level 6 Felony
Barnes was also found to have an active felony warrant at the time of his arrest.
Donyell Moore was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on the following preliminary charges:
- Robbery with a Deadly Weapon Resulting in Injury — Level 3 Felony
- Auto Theft — Level 6 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement — Class A Misdemeanor
“This was outstanding cooperative police work between our deputies and the Evansville Police Department that took two violent offenders off the street in a matter of hours,” said Sheriff Noah Robinson. “No deputy ever wants to use force against an animal. Our deputy gave every opportunity for the dog to be controlled, and he acted only when he had no other choice to protect himself and his K9 partner. Our thoughts are with the dog’s family.”
The armed robbery investigation is being led by the Evansville Police Department.
Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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