Suspect Opens Fire On Police After Chase In Gary
Wednesday at approximately 9:42 PM, an officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department High Crime Unit was traveling northbound in the 400 block of Adams Street when he observed a black Dodge passenger car disregard a traffic light at the intersection of Adams Street and W. 4th Avenue in Gary, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr.
The officer followed the car as it accelerated westbound on 4th Avenue, traveling at approximately 50 miles an hour in a 35 mile per hour zone. When the officer activated the emergency lights on his patrol car, the Dodge slowed, eventually stopping on W. 4th Avenue at Harrison Street. The officer exited his patrol car and ordered the driver to roll down the window. After rolling the window down approximately an inch, the driver took off, driving westbound on 4th Avenue. The officer resumed the pursuit and a second officer joined in near Grant Street. Near 4thAvenue and Durbin, an officer observed the lights on the Dodge had been turned off. As the officer attempted to position his patrol car to stop the Dodge, the officer saw the passenger’s door open, and the passenger pointed a rifle toward the two police vehicles and opened fire, Martinez said.
The Dodge drove onto a lawn in the 5100 block of 4th Avenue. Both occupants in the Dodge got out of the car, and fled on foot. The passenger continued to fire the rifle as he ran striking a police car multiple times with gunfire. During the investigation approximately 30 casings were recovered at the scene.
A Lake County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit was deployed and tracked the driver to an area near the 5200 block of W. 4th Place. He was placed in custody, checked by paramedics for his dog bite, then transported to Methodist Northlake Hospital.
A second K-9 and helicopter attempted to track the passenger, who remains at large.
Officers recovered an AR-15 rifle in a bush on Hanley Street. They also recovered a handgun from the Dodge, Martinez stated.
The driver, identified as a 33-year-old male from Gary, is being held at the Lake County Jail pending criminal charges.
