The Lake County Coroner's Office responded about 2:50 p.m. to the 400 block of West Ridge Road, according to a statement from the agency.
[Ads /]
Markis D. Square was found shot and pronounced dead, the coroner's office said. His death was ruled a homicide.
Witnesses said a customer pulled the trigger when someone tried to rob the business.
"He wasn't under the car but when I looked under the car, then I could see him laying there. He was still and wasn't moving, so," said Mary White-Collins, witness.
The Northwest Indiana Times reported that police said two men tried to rob a customer and an employee in the lot of Ocampo Auto Sales on West Ridge Road.
[Ads /]
Witnesses described hearing several gun shots, and said the customer shot and killed one of the men.
"A person a citizen trying to protect themselves, yeah I think it's fair you know if somebody's trying to do something you out here trying to make a decent living," White-Collins said.
An investigation is ongoing.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.