1 in custody in shooting of Gary police officer; no other suspects being sought by police

Sgt. William Fazekas hospitalized in stable condition, Gary police chief says

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Gary police officer shot; 1 suspect in custody, another on run
Gary police officer Sgt. William Fazekas was shot near 5th Avenue and Lincoln Street. A suspect is in custody, Lake County Sheriff's Dept. said.

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- Gary police said Tuesday only one suspect was involved in the shooting of an officer and that person is in custody.

Police took one person into custody Monday after the shooting of Gary Police Sergeant William Fazekas, a 32-year veteran of the force.

Police then conducted a search for a second potential suspect, but after examining witness statements and video, investigators later concluded that only one suspect was involved in the shooting.

Sergeant Fazekas was in the area of 4th Avenue and Johnson Street at about 12:55 p.m. when police said he saw a car driving recklessly.

Chopper7 was over the scene in Gary where a police officer was shot Monday afternoon.

After following the vehicle, Sgt. Fazekas activated his lights and began exiting the vehicle when police said he was ambushed and struck by gunfire.

The sergeant was wounded in the shoulder Fazekas was struck in the left shoulder and rushed to a hospital. His condition has stabilized and he was transferred to a hospital in Chicago for further treatment, Gary Police Chief Brian Evans said.

The suspect was pursued on foot by another officer and later found in an abandoned home, police said.

One of the officers pursued after the suspect who was on foot. This individual was later located and arrested in an abandon home nearby.

The video in this story is from a previous report