Hobart SWAT Standoff Ends With Suspect Found Dead Inside
On November 30, 2020 at approximately 5:40 PM, Hobart Officers received a call to the area of the 3900 block of Missouri Street in reference to a female being held against her will inside the residence, according to Captain James Gonzales of The Hobart Police. Officers spoke to the actual homeowner on Missouri Street, who had left the residence and was at another house approximately 1 block away. The homeowner explained to the Officers that her friend is inside of the home with her estranged boyfriend, who was identified as Zachary Zampini, she further explained that if he knew the police were coming that he would kill her friend and himself.
Officers arrived on scene and established a perimeter around the residence and the on-duty supervisor contacted the Northwest Regional Swat Team. Once the Northwest Regional SWAT Team arrived on scene and their operators in place to make entry into the residence, the negotiator began to sound the siren of the armored vehicle in order to gain the attention of the occupants inside of the residence.
After the negotiator sounded the alarm a female exited the residence and stood on the porch, the female was ordered to approach the SWAT Operators and as she started to walk toward them there were 3 to 4 gunshots from inside of the house, the female then began to walk back towards the door and then there were 1 to 2 more shots fired from inside of the home. The female then ran from the porch.
The negotiator attempted to make contact with the subject left inside of the residence for approximately 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours, but there wasn’t any response. The decision was made to enter the residence, the SWAT team made entry into the residence and they found a male subject unresponsive and appeared to have a gunshot wound to the head, according to Gonzales.
Hobart Police evidence technicians began to process the crime scene for evidence and the Lake County Coroner’s Office arrived to the scene to remove the decedent from the residence.
Hobart Police Investigators interviewed the female victim that escaped from the residence. She told investigators that she had been separated from her child’s father and had been staying with her friend on Missouri Street. She stated on Saturday, November 28, 2020, she was in contact with her child’s father, Zachary Zampini and he was going to bring her some food to eat. She stated when he arrived at the residence, he didn’t have any food, instead he went to a back bedroom and refused to leave the residence. She stated that Zachary had a black firearm with an extended magazine with him. She stated that evening he struck her on the head with the firearm, he physically abused her and broke her cell phone. She stated that on Sunday she tried to leave the residence, but he refused to let her leave, because he didn’t trust her. She stated he continued to physically abuse her and he was also pointing the firearm at her and threatening to kill her if she left him. The victim told investigators that all of these events occurred while she and Zachary were confined to the bedroom.
The victim told investigators that on Monday, November 30, 2020 that she was able to talk to her friend and tell her what was going on and that she needed to leave the residence and call the police.
Mr. Zampini was on an ankle bracelet for a similar situation that occurred in Merrillville on November 5, 2020. He has had several calls for service in Merrillville for domestic related cases, according to Police. Police also learned he cut his ankle bracelet off on November 25, 2020, but the escape charges hadn’t been filed yet before this incident. He was on an ankle monitor for the following charges Confinement and that is the basic criminal confinement charge as well as Domestic Battery. This among a long track record of violent crimes and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.
The Hobart Police Department thanked the Northwest Regional SWAT Team and the Lake County Coroner’s Office for their assistance and continued support during these tragedies.
The Hobart Police Department takes Domestic Violence cases very seriously and we are very fortunate to have a Victim’s Advocate on staff to assist us with providing resources to person(s) who may be involved in a volatile relationship. Please if you know someone or if you are involved in an abusive relationship please reach out to Andrea Graciano at agraciano@cityofhobart.org or telephone at 219-942-1124 X 1069 or Samantha Bull at sbull@cityofhobart.org or by telephone at 219-942-1125 X 1061
This tragic event that occurred yesterday is very saddening, and it can’t be emphasized enough, if you suspect someone is being abused contact 9-1-1 immediately, so police can attempt to provide resources early on and try to prevent incidents like this occurring. Domestic Violence doesn’t discriminate, it effects all socio-economic classes, races and genders, no one is immune. So, please reach out for assistance to 9-1-1 or to the Hobart Police department Victim’s Advocate.
Judges, Prosecutors, Politicians, This incident is proof that ankle monitoring bracelets don’t work on violent criminals. The work that police officers do, to bring violent criminals to justice, is of no avail. How about putting criminals in prison and keeping them in prison!