Gary Man Charged with Battery, Gun, and Drug Offenses
Walter Tykise Adams, 31, has been charged in Lake County with multiple felonies after police say he battered a restaurant worker, pulled a firearm, and fled the scene before being arrested with drugs and a stolen handgun.
According to court documents, Gary police responded on June 23, 2025, to a reported fight at J.J.’s Fish on Broadway Avenue. The reporting party told dispatchers he had been struck and that a gun had been pulled on him. When officers arrived, a bystander pointed toward a man later identified as Adams, who was walking through an alley. Adams allegedly ran upon seeing the marked squad car and attempted to hide behind a tree or bush.
Police say Adams was wearing a blue backpack and consented to a search, during which an officer reportedly smelled raw marijuana. Inside the bag, officers found two gold packages labeled “Cannabis Flower,” two plastic bags containing yellow bar-like tablets believed to be Xanax, and other items. Adams was taken into custody.
The reporting party told police that Adams entered the business, attempted to pay with a card that was declined, and became upset when told he had to pay before his food would be prepared. The man said Adams then struck him in the face and pulled out a handgun. Surveillance footage reviewed by police reportedly showed Adams reach through the service window to strike the individual, then exit the building and remove a handgun from his waistband.
Officers later recovered a loaded .45 caliber Kimber handgun under the same tree or bush where Adams had attempted to hide. The firearm was confirmed stolen in 2016 out of Hancock County. Police say Adams admitted to carrying the handgun while being transported to the station.
The tablets were tested and determined to be Xanax, weighing 27 grams in total with packaging. The marijuana weighed 9.6 grams and tested positive for THC using a field test.
Charges filed on June 25, 2025:
• Possession of a Narcotic Drug (10–28 grams), Level 3 Felony (enhancing circumstance)
• Possession of a Narcotic Drug (10–28 grams), Level 4 Felony
• Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon, Level 5 Felony
• Theft of a Firearm, Level 5 Felony
• Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury, Class A Misdemeanor
• Battery, Class B Misdemeanor
• Possession of Marijuana, Class B Misdemeanor
Adams is currently lodged in the Lake County Jail.
