SOUTH BEND, Indiana — On Friday afternoon, 34‑year‑old Dustin Pate was found dead inside his cell at the St. Joseph County Jail, sending shockwaves through a community still grappling with the violent events that put him behind bars. The Indiana State Police confirmed Pate’s identity and said they are investigating his death, though authorities do not believe foul play was involved.
Pate had been arrested earlier in January after a chaotic police pursuit that began on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. According to reports, he fled from officers in a crash near State Road 23 and Gumwood Road. Once on foot, authorities say Pate aggressively fought with officers and a police K‑9, even grabbing an officer’s firearm and discharging it as he resisted arrest.
Deputies booked Pate into the St. Joseph County Jail on a long list of felony charges, including attempted murder of a police officer, resisting law enforcement, assaulting officers and a police dog, and other related counts.
Just after 12:30 p.m. Friday, corrections officers doing routine checks discovered Pate unresponsive in his cell. They immediately called for medical help and began life‑saving efforts. Emergency responders from South Bend arrived and took over care, but Pate was pronounced dead at the jail.
Indiana State Police say they have no evidence at this stage to suggest Pate’s death was due to anything other than natural or accidental causes, but an autopsy has been scheduled for Sunday at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to determine the exact cause and manner of death. His family has been notified of his passing.
People in the community who followed the case say the January arrest was disturbing, with dramatic body‑cam footage showing Pate’s intense struggle with officers and his refusal to surrender peacefully. Residents say the violent confrontation and now his sudden death underscore deep concerns about how police and corrections systems handle high‑risk suspects.
Officials at the St. Joseph County Jail declined to comment beyond confirming standard procedures were followed. The Indiana State Police will release more information as the investigation and autopsy results become available.
