GARY — A 10-year-old boy was killed and at least seven other people were wounded in two separate overnight shootings in Gary early Sunday morning, according to the Gary Police Department.
Police said the incidents occurred within approximately 15 minutes of each other but emphasized that preliminary investigations indicate the shootings are not related.
The first shooting was reported at approximately 12:34 a.m. in the area of 19th Avenue and Hanley Street after officers received multiple reports of gunfire. While officers were responding, dispatchers learned that multiple victims had already been taken by private vehicle to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus.
Investigators said six people suffering from gunshot wounds arrived at the hospital seeking treatment. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, and police have not yet released information regarding the victims’ conditions or what led to the violence.
Approximately 15 minutes later, at 12:49 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Chase Street for another reported shooting. While en route, officers learned that a 10-year-old boy and a 50-year-old man had also been transported by private vehicle to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus after being shot.
The child was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 50-year-old victim was later transferred to a Chicago-area hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
“The loss of a child is a heartbreaking tragedy that deeply impacts not only the victim’s loved ones but the entire community,” the Gary Police Department said in a statement. Investigators added they are committed to identifying those responsible and bringing justice to the victims and their families.
The first shooting near 19th Avenue and Hanley Street is being investigated by Detective Corporal Melendez. Anyone with information is asked to call 219-881-1209.
The fatal shooting on Chase Street is being investigated by Detective Salazar with the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force. Anyone with information is urged to call 219-755-3720.
Both investigations remain active and ongoing. Police are asking anyone who witnessed either incident or has information, no matter how minor it may seem, to come forward, noting that even the smallest detail could prove critical to the investigations.
Update – 10-Year-Old Chicago Boy Identified
The 10-year-old child who was fatally shot during a violent overnight shooting in Gary has been identified by the Lake County Coroner’s Office as Montana Weathers, a 10-year-old boy from Chicago.
According to the coroner, Weathers was visiting family in Gary for the Fourth of July holiday when he was struck by gunfire in the 200 block of Chase Street. He was transported to Methodist Northlake Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:43 a.m. Sunday. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday at the Lake County Forensic Science Center.
The fatal shooting occurred just minutes after another mass shooting in Gary left six people wounded, making for a tragic and violent start to the holiday weekend.
In a statement, Gary Police said:
“The loss of a child is a heartbreaking tragedy that deeply impacts not only the victim’s loved ones but the entire community. Investigators are committed to pursuing those responsible and bringing justice to the victims and their families.”
The Gary Police Department continues to investigate both shootings. Around 1 PM Sunday, Gary Police with the Real Time Crime Center stopped a vehicle believed to be involved with this homicide. Persons of interest were taken into custody.
