Years after man killed in IN, bill protecting those who use justifiable force becomes law

OHIO COUNTY, IN (FOX19) - A woman who was hailed a hero by people who believe she saved an Indiana officer’s life is now responsible for helping create a new state law.

In Ohio County, back in February 2017, Kystie Phillips shot a man she said was attacking an officer. After that man died, she was sued for what she did.

“I really wish that young man would’ve made a different choice that day," she said.

That day in 2017, an Indiana conservation officer, officials said, pulled up outside of Phillips’ house along State Route 56 in Ohio County. The officer, off duty at the time, had his son with him and was checking out a report of a suspicious person acting erratic in a vehicle.

“He was taking his shoes on and off, crawling through the vehicle on his belly, down under the vehicle, up through the bed of the truck. It was just really odd," said Phillips.

Police say the person who was behaving strangely, Justin Holland, 25, was on a handful of different drugs at the time. They said he turned violent when the conservation officer attempted to make an arrest.

“It was pretty scary," said Phillips. "The guy was screaming profanities at the officer, just saying, 'You m-f-er, are you arresting me?’ Still beating on him, nothing the officer did seemed to work.”

At one point, Phillips said she saw Holland reach for the officer’s weapon, and so in turn, she reached for her own.

“I stepped between their legs, and I fired a shot into his right upper shoulder," she said.

Holland did not survive his injuries. For Phillips, it was a heavy burden to bear.

“The officer’s son was standing behind me, and there is no way, there is no way, I was going to watch his dad be murdered that day," she said.

Phillips’ faith and the support of the community pulled her through what she said were some really dark times.

“I did in the beginning ask ‘Why God? Why me? Why this?’” said Phillips. “He showed me the love my family. He showed me the love of a community.”

In the aftermath of the shooting, some people said Phillips was a hero and thanked her for what she did, but Holland’s family felt differently. They filed a lawsuit claiming that Phillips used excessive and unjustified force.

Eventually, the lawsuit was dismissed.

Phillips, inspired to make a change after what she went through, teamed up with a lawyer and politician to push for House Bill 1284, which aims to protect people who have used justifiable force from facing civil penalties.

“This law really protects someone from being financially ruined because they want to take a stand against something that shouldn’t happen," she said.

That bill just became a law.

Now, more than two years later, Phillips said she feels like she can finally heal.

“Even though it has been a terrible challenge and a terrible struggle, we can maybe help someone else through this situation, so it’s not all in vain," she said.

Phillips said she is thankful for the Aurora police union members, who created a GoFundMe page for her. She said that she used the money raised through that to hire an attorney who eventually helped her get the laws changed.

Copyright 2019 WXIX. All rights reserved.