Gunfire broke out overnight near the Michigan City Senior Center, leaving two people injured and one suspect in custody as investigators worked to piece together what triggered the shooting inside one of the city's most visited public spaces along Lake Michigan. Michigan City police officers who responded to the area provided aid to one gunshot victim until paramedics arrived, while a second victim showed up separately at a nearby hospital with a gunshot wound.
According to CBS Chicago, Michigan City police were called to investigate the overnight shooting near the senior center, and officers rendered aid to one victim at the scene before emergency medical crews took over. The second injured person made their own way to Franciscan Health Michigan City, a 123-bed acute care hospital at 3500 Franciscan Way that opened its current location in 2019, according to Franciscan Health. As of Sunday night, police had not filed charges against the person in custody, and the station's report notes the cause of the shooting remained unclear.
A Landmark Park Becomes a Crime Scene
The Michigan City Senior Center sits inside Washington Park along the Lake Michigan shoreline, a 14,000-square-foot facility serving adults 55 and older at Two On the Lake, per the Michigan City Parks Department. Washington Park is widely regarded as the city's flagship public recreation destination, making the overnight gunfire especially jarring for a stretch of the lakefront more associated with daytime foot traffic than violence. Per the same account, police characterized the shooting as an isolated incident between the people involved rather than a threat to the broader public.
Responding officers were not alone in working the scene. The investigation drew assistance from the La Porte County Sheriff's Office along with the police departments of Long Beach and Trail Creek, two small municipalities that directly border Michigan City. That kind of regional cooperation has become increasingly familiar in La Porte County this year, as neighboring agencies have repeatedly been pulled into fast-moving incidents together.
Leadership and Recent History in Michigan City
The investigation falls under Chief Steve Forker, who took over the Michigan City Police Department in September 2025 after Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch announced a leadership transition, according to WIMS Radio. Forker had previously served as assistant chief of operations before stepping into the top role. The department has told the public it will release additional information when appropriate, and the investigation remains ongoing.
This is not the first time this year that gun violence has rattled Michigan City. In May, 14-year-old Devin Porter was fatally shot at a residence in the city, and family members expressed concern about recent shootings.
Potential Charges Under Indiana Law
Should charges eventually be filed, Indiana law offers a range of possibilities depending on the severity of the injuries involved. Battery with a deadly weapon or battery causing serious bodily injury is classified as a Level 5 felony under Indiana Code § 35-42-2-1, according to Justia Law. No charges had been announced as of Sunday night, and the relationship between the suspect and the two victims has not been disclosed.
For now, investigators have offered no further detail on a motive, and the case remains open as police await lab results and witness interviews before deciding on charges.
