EAST CHICAGO, IN – A car show in East Chicago, Indiana, turned violent on Sunday afternoon when a shooting erupted, leaving three people injured, local law enforcement reported. The incident took place around 3:45 p.m. at the “Stunna Jam Custom Car Show and Sound Competition” held at Jeorse Park Beach, located along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Police were initially alerted to a disturbance near the Ameristar Casino East Chicago, but were later informed that the actual conflict was happening on the event stage. Chief Jose Rivera and Deputy Chief Justin Orange responded to the scene, attempting to defuse the situation between two individuals involved in the altercation.
As officers worked to clear the area, several gunshots rang out near the stage, inciting panic among the crowd. Rivera spotted a man firing into the attendees and immediately gave chase. The suspect was apprehended after Rivera ordered him to the ground at gunpoint. The man complied, discarding his weapon onto a nearby vehicle before being taken into custody.
The suspect was transported to a Chicago hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries. He was reported to be in stable condition as of Sunday evening. Three bystanders were also hospitalized with gunshot wounds, though their injuries were not life-threatening.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the two individuals involved in the initial disturbance were the shooters. The second suspect later surrendered himself to the East Chicago police. As of late Sunday, detectives were still conducting interviews. They were also reviewing video footage of the incident. Charges have yet to be filed.