A report of gunfire led Michigan City Police to three suspects, including two juveniles who now face various charges.
Thursday evening, the Michigan City Police Department’s Raven Gunshot Detection Technology alerted to gunshots on Pleasant Avenue. Moments later, community members reported shots being fired in or around the same area. In response, members of the LaPorte County Drug Taskforce, Crime Suppression Unit, K-9 Unit and Uniform Shifts II & III set up surveillance in that area. Information was developed which indicated a tan sedan was being used as transportation by the individuals responsible for firing the shots. The Flock Safety-Falcon cameras were checked and, in comparing the time of the Raven gunshot alert to the Falcon camera images from that area, there was only one tan sedan found in the timeframe.
At about 8:10pm Officers Brock Moore and Patrick Lewis conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Malibu sedan after the driver disregarded the stop sign at North Dickson/Hobart. Officers Michael Petrie (K-9), Steve Wiegel and Zachary Wells assisted with the stop as the Malibu contained four occupants. Officer Petrie’s K-9 partner, Edo, alerted on the vehicle for the presence of narcotics. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in a quantity of Marijuana and a loaded handgun being seized as evidence. The handgun had been reported as stolen, police said. The driver of the Malibu, 20-year-old Daivion Washington, was charged with possession of marijuana, a 16-year-old juvenile male was charged with theft of a firearm, child in possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana.
The third person taken into custody from the traffic stop was a 13-year-old juvenile male. He was charged with possession of marijuana.
Police said they obtained a search warrant for the 500 block Pleasant Avenue. A loaded .45 Caliber handgun and an additional handgun magazine were seized as evidence.
The investigation is ongoing.
“Chief Steven Forker wants to applaud the efforts of the Officers working these incidents and for taking a proactive response to gun violence in our neighborhoods,” the Michigan City police Department said. “Addressing the involvement of juveniles in gun violence is a critical concern. Community involvement and support are essential in tackling this issue. Michigan City Police Department will continue to use all our resources to combat these senseless acts of violence,” the department said. We encourage all community members to say something if you see something. Operations such as the one on September 20 will continue in areas of the city that have been plagued with random gunshots being fired or where gun violence has taken place.”