Horror as judge and his wife are both shot by suspect who knocked door of their Indiana home
An Indiana judge and his wife were left injured on Sunday when an unknown gunman fired shots into their Lafayette home.
Judge Steven Meyer was shot in the arm and his wife, Kimberly, was struck in the hip when a stranger arrived at their house on Mill Pond Lake at around 2.17pm and blasted a shotgun through the door.
In a chilling dispatch recording obtained by CBS News, a caller reported that there was a knock on the door and someone told the couple they had their dog - before shots rang out.
Officers then arrived at the house to find both the judge and his wife injured, and they were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. They are now listed in stable condition.
Cops also said they found spent shell casings at the scene.
A motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the local sheriff's office said it was unaware of any threats made against the judge.
As questions remained about the shooting in broad daylight, a massive manhunt was underway Monday night for the gunman.
The Lafayette Police Department is leading the inquiry but has pulled in support from a broad network of agencies, including the Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Office, West Lafayette Police, the county prosecutor, and the FBI.
Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, were struck shortly after 2.17pm when gunfire broke out outside their residence
In a statement released Monday, Kimberly Meyer thanked first responders and said she had 'great confidence' in investigators working the case.
She also expressed gratitude to the medical teams who treated her and her husband.
Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski issued his own message, calling the shooting 'senseless' and promising that 'every available resource' was being directed toward finding whoever was responsible.
The attack sent ripples through the state's judicial community.
Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush wrote to judges statewide, saying she was relieved the couple survived but underscored her ongoing concern about threats to the judiciary.
'I worry about the safety of all our judges. As you work to peacefully resolve more than 1 million cases a year, you must not only feel safe, you must also be safe,' Rush said.
'Any violence against a judge or a judge's family is completely unacceptable. As public servants, you are dedicated to the rule of law.'
Officers arrived to find both suffering from gunshot wounds, the judge to his arm and his wife to her hip
She urged colleagues to take their personal security seriously.
Court officials said discussions are underway about arranging temporary coverage for Judge Meyer's duties on the Tippecanoe County Superior Court No. 2 bench while he recovers.
Meyer has been a fixture in the Lafayette legal community for decades.
Elected to the state bench in 2014, he previously served on the Lafayette City Council, including a stint as its president.
Before joining the judiciary, he practiced law locally for nearly 30 years, including as a managing partner at Ball Eggleston, PC.
