A Warsaw man is in Kosciusko County Jail after allegedly firing at an officer during a standoff near Hoffman Lake Wednesday afternoon.
Kosciusko County Sheriff's deputies arrived at a trailer at the western end of Hoffman Lake Campground around 4 p.m.
The trailer belonged to Alando Lee Smith, 36, of 1010 E. Market St., Warsaw.
Police had received tips that Smith had been manufacturing methamphetamine in the trailer and had weapons.
When police arrived, Smith fired a shot at a KCSD officer. The officer took cover and called for more officers. Kosciusko/Warsaw City-County S.W.A.T. was activated and set up a perimeter around the trailer.
"The police came barreling in and surrounded the camper," said Joseph Jordan, of Columbus, Ohio, whose family's campsite was nearest to Smith's trailer.
"(Smith) was in (the trailer) for an hour when his wife and sister showed up," said Jordan.
Smith's wife and sister talked to Smith on a cell phone in an attempt to get Smith to give himself up.
At around 7:12 p.m., Smith exited his trailer and sat at a nearby park bench where he put his hands, with beer bottles in them, over his head. Police surrounded Smith and took him to the ground where he was Tazered.
Smith is a convicted felon and had two outstanding warrants for check deception and failure to comply.
Smith currently is being held without bond on charges including possession of a methamphetamine lab and criminal recklessness with a firearm.
Jordan and his family said Smith arrived to the campground Monday and was friendly.
"He was real friendly, always waving and saying hi," said a member of the Jordan family.
"He called himself 'Country' and said his was from Kentucky," said Jordan.
Jordan stated there was a lot of activity at the trailer late Tuesday night, and that there was a strong smell coming from the trailer.
"It smelled like he was burning plastic in there," said Jordan.
Jordan said it was his family's first summer camping at Hoffman Lake, and despite Wednesday's incident, he said his family plans on camping there again.
Along with KCSD and S.W.A.T., Warsaw Police, Indiana State Police, Multi-Township E.M.S., Atwood Fire Department and the Warsaw Fire Department assisted.
