Suspect In Custody After Shooting & Manhunt Near Griffith
SUSPECT IN CUSTODY AS OF 3:45 PM
A two-hour manhunt for a shooting suspect has ended with two arrests. 35-year-old Aaron Belcher, of Griffith, and a female subject who was with him were both taken into custody in Merrillville this afternoon.
The two were spotted arguing in the entryway of an apartment complex near Grant St. & 79th Place. The witnesses called 9-1-1. The two subjects fled into a nearby wooded area between Grant and Cleveland Streets where they were arrested.
Manhunt For Shooting Suspect
Sometime after 1:30 PM, Wednesday, (08/02/23), Lake County Sheriff’s Department police officers began searching for a suspect in an assault that left a 33-year-old Merrillville man hospitalized with gunshot wounds, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
The man police are looking for is identified as 35-year-old Aaron Belcher of Griffith. He’s a white male, approximately 6’4” and weighs 182 pounds. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
A preliminary investigation revealed that sometime before 1:30 PM, the 33-year-old was shot at a home in the 1000 block of East Highway 330 in unincorporated Griffith. The suspect was seen leaving the area in a maroon Ford F-150 pickup truck with Indiana license plate TNL 902.
Despite his injuries, the victim was reportedly able to seek help at a neighboring home. He was transported to an area hospital. His condition is currently listed as critical.
Anyone with information on the suspect’s location is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. This suspect should not be approached by members of the public, Martinez said.
This is a developing investigation. No further details are available.
