Gary police are investigating the death of a woman shot found Tuesday morning behind an abandoned church.
According to a press release from Gary Lt. Dawn Westerfield, police received a call at about 10:20 a.m. in the 3900 block of Delaware Street. When they arrived, police said the body was discovered behind the abandoned church, and the Lake County Coroner’s office pronounced her dead at the scene, the release said.
The coroner’s office has not identified the woman as of early Tuesday afternoon, referring to her as Jane Doe in a release. The release said the black female’s age and address were unkown. She died of a gunshot wound, and her death was ruled a homicide, the release states.
A handful of neighbors came out to see why police cars lined Delaware Street in front of the abandoned Glen Park neighborhood church, Apostolistic Lighthouse of God, east of Broadway.
Joe Florek, who’s lived in the area for about three years, said when a neighbor told him police found a woman, he didn’t believe the neighbor, so he went to get a look himself.
Florek stood at the intersection of Delaware and East 40th Avenue, talking with a neighbor, Walter Rainge, who was on a bicycle. The two said the discovery of a body was "unusual for here," where houses are scattered between abandoned structures.
Jasmine Taylor, who said she grew up in the neighborhood, said "this is a quiet block," and it was "out of the normal" for police to find a body behind the church.
U.S. Postal Service honors civil rights leader with stamp Michelle L. Quinn
A leader in the civil rights movement being remembered with her own U.S. Postal Service stamp was honored as someone whose accomplishments were many, even if she was not a household name, like her male peers.
Following the National Council of Negro Women’s lead, the organization’s Gary section…
A leader in the civil rights movement being remembered with her own U.S. Postal Service stamp was honored as someone whose accomplishments were many, even if she was not a household name, like her male peers.
Following the National Council of Negro Women’s lead, the organization’s Gary section…
(Michelle L. Quinn)
A woman, who did not want to be identified, said the church had been abandoned on and off over the years, and she has seen people go behind it once every so often. She said she wanted to walk her dog around the church, but after seeing people go back there and the new discovery of a body, she avoids it.
An alley, lined with small trees and some litter, goes off 40th Avenue and curves toward the back of the church. Police blocked the alley near the curve as they investigated the scene.
Two people from the coroner’s office backed up a van in the alley to transport the body away from the scene just before 12:30 p.m.
Anyone with information should to contact Detective George Dickerson of the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
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