Man armed with screwdrivers attacks 2 South Bend officers

Two South Bend police officers were injured when a man armed with two screwdrivers attacked them, authorities said.

One officer was diagnosed with a broken cheekbone at a hospital after his face was cut, and the other suffered a minor hand injury, police said.

The suspect was arrested and charged with four counts of resisting arrest and battery against a police officer, police said.

The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. Thursday at a gas station near downtown South Bend after a store employee reported a man was trespassing on the property, the South Bend Tribune reported.

The two officers arrived and when they told the suspect to put his arms behind his back, he tried to punch them, police said. After hitting one of the officers in the face, the suspect went into the store and grabbed two screwdrivers.

“He’s swinging and punching at the officers while they’re still just trying to deescalate the situation,” Capt. Jason Biggs said.

Officers fired a Taser at the suspect as he advanced towards them, but it had minimal effect, court documents said. The suspect swung at officers and struck one in the face twice.

Biggs said it’s hard to tell if the officer was stabbed, but one suffered facial cuts that caused “a large amount of bleeding.”

Eventually the suspect was handcuffed and taken to the St. Joseph County Jail.