Gilbert Eatman, 33, of Hammond, is accused of opening fire on Hammond police officers during a welfare check at his apartment Thursday afternoon, wounding one officer.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Hammond police officers were dispatched at approximately 2:13 p.m. on July 16 to an apartment in the 200 block of Carroll Street after a family member reported Eatman was threatening suicide and exhibiting increasingly erratic behavior. The caller told officers Eatman had called earlier in the day, sounded as though he was in “psychosis,” said he wanted to kill himself, and blamed the caller. Officers were also told Eatman had gone several days without sleeping, had been posting erratically online, and had become increasingly confrontational and aggressive. 

Court documents state officers attempted to contact Eatman by phone before the landlord arrived to unlock the apartment. During one call, a man believed to be Eatman answered before the call disconnected. On a second call, he allegedly refused to cooperate with officers. When the landlord announced she was unlocking the door, Eatman allegedly began yelling, “This is my house! Why are you guys doing this to me!? I just wanna die! Oh my God! I can’t take it anymore!” He also shouted, “This life that we live is not okay! Everybody’s faking! Everybody’s faking!” 

According to investigators, after officers partially opened the apartment door, Eatman allegedly shouted “10-32! Man down!” while accusing officers of breaking into his home. Moments later, he allegedly yelled, “Watch this! Watch this!” before walking away from the doorway. An officer then observed Eatman retrieve a handgun, rack the slide, and point it toward the entrance. 

Investigators allege that as officers began retreating, Eatman fired multiple rounds through the doorway and an adjoining wall toward officers attempting to escape. One Hammond police officer was struck near the top of his ballistic vest on his back, just below his neck. The officers were able to retreat from the building as additional units responded. 

According to court documents, Investigators allege he later dismantled the handgun and threw the pieces from a second-story window. Police recovered the firearm, which had been reported stolen, along with ten spent shell casings inside the apartment. Investigators also determined that no Hammond police officers fired their service weapons during the incident.

Charges filed July 18, 2026:

Attempted Murder — Level 1 Felony (3 counts)