
See earlier releases below
Gary, Lake County-The vehicle and occupants involved in the shooting yesterday evening have been located and arrested.
At approximately 11:49 p.m., yesterday, Friday, September 27, 2019, the Indiana State Police received a tip about the vehicle that was purportedly involved in the shooting and the location of the occupants that were inside. This led us to an apartment complex in Gary and the impending arrest of four males and the recovery of four weapons. It was learned that the vehicle that was involved in the shooting had been carjacked, earlier on Friday, in Illinois by gunpoint, a gold 2017 Kia Sportage, The vehicle that was shot was a Kia Forte. The four males, a Naja Wilder, 18 of Richton Park, Illinois, and three juveniles, a 16 year old from Pendleton, Indiana, a 17 year old from Park Forest, Illinois, and a 17 year old from Illinois were taken into custody without incident. Wilder was also found to be wanted on multiple felony warrants through the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. All were taken and incarcerated at the Lake County Jail in Crown Point and charged with Attempted Murder.
See original release below:
Gary, Lake County-Gunfire erupted on Interstate 80/94 this evening (9/27/2019) hitting three cars and sending two people to the hospital.
Preliminary investigation revealed at approximately 5:27 p.m., this Friday, September 27, 2019 evening Troopers Conner Davidson and Clay McBride responded to reports of shots fired on I-80/94 west bound in the vicinity of Burr Street.
They located a gray Kia that had multiple bullet holes and two people that were passengers inside that had been shot. A back seat passenger, a 23 year-old male from Gary, had been hit by multiple bullets in his legs. A front seat passenger, an eleven year-old from Steger, Illinois had been struck by gunfire once in their leg also. The other two occupants in the Kia were not injured.
Two other cars, a Ford Focus and a Subaru Outback, had also been struck by gunfire. Both of these vehicles were each struck once, both had only one occupant, and neither were injured.
Further investigation showed that the Kia was westbound on I-80/94 in the left lane when a dark colored crossover type vehicle pulled alongside them and multiple shots were fired. As both vehicles continued west bound driving in and out of the left lane and inner shoulder, additional shots were fired which struck the Focus and Subaru each once. Upon additional investigation by detectives with the Criminal Investigation Section the shooting appears to be targeted, not a case of road rage.
The twenty-three year old and eleven year-old were taken to North Lake Methodist Hospital in Gary with non-life threatening injuries.
This is an on-going investigation and nothing further will be released at this time.
Pictures are of the Kia and Ford Focus.
Assisting: Troopers Alyssa Partyka, James Brasseur, John Landowski, Sergeant Jerry Michalak and First Sergeant Scott Gilbert
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.