Kovin Bell, 41, was pronounced dead at 6:08 a.m. at The Methodist Hospital's Northlake campus, according to the Lake County coroner. He had been shot several times at a corner near the Marathon gas station at 5390 W. 15th Avenue in Gary.
Officials said Bell was selling newspapers when he was shot multiple times around 5:30 a.m. Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson said police have identified the alleged gunman.
"A known suspect, and they have indicated it was a domestic matter," Freeman-Wilson said.
"I loved Kovin very dearly. And he'll always be special," Allen Hawkins, victim's uncle, said.
"I'm angry now. I haven't really started grieving yet. I'm very angry. That's why I'm here," Terry Bell, victim's mother, said. "There's no motive in the world large enough to murder someone."
Bell was married with three children. His murder is the 33rd homicide in Gary in 2013, compared to 21 at the same time last year.
"The self-hatred, we have to learn how to love one another. We must, we must learn how to love one another and stop the jealousy," Dwight Taylor, Concerned Citizens Against Violence In Gary, said.
"We can't characterize it all as gang or drug-related. We can't characterize it all as young men," Freeman-Wilson said.
Twice this month, Freeman-Wilson has asked Indiana's governor for police manpower, requesting state troopers help with patrols.
"They would be able to stop people for traffic violations understanding then when you do that, you typically detect other violations," Freeman-Wilson said.
