Two Shot Including Off Duty EC Officer
Around 7 PM Sunday a shooting occurred in the 4700 block of Indianapolis in East Chicago.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is saying that Sunday, shots were fired during an altercation in the evening. An off-duty East Chicago Police officer and a civilian (person of interest) both sustained gunshot wounds, the Sheriff’s Office stated. A second civilian who was across the street at the time was also injured by a possible bullet fragment but denied treatment.
The two (persons of interest) drove to a local hospital with a gunshot wound in the dark colored car pictured below with bullet holes seen in the rear passenger door. The off duty East Chicago Officer was hit in a another vehicle while driving to pick up a pizza with his girlfriend.
It’s unclear which part everyone played in this incident or how it happened yet. A witness explained to RNS that the Officer and his girlfriend were leaving the pizza place when the other party almost hit the officers car. Words were exchanged and the person of interest began firing at the off duty officer. The off duty officer returned fire and retreated back to his vehicle.
The second individual who drove the other to the hospital but was not directly hit by gunfire but may have suffered a graze wound is in custody at this time pending the investigation.
At this time the officer is in critical condition being transported to a Trauma Center from St. Catherine’s. As of 3:30 AM the officer is out of surgery in intensive care still listed in critical condition awaiting another surgery. The person of interest who was shot is also in critical condition.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department will be assisting the East Chicago Police Department with routine 9-1-1 and other dispatch calls at this time.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
