Gary shooting: 13-year-old boy found shot to death outside church

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- Gary police said a 13-year-old boy was shot to death outside a church Wednesday.

Police said they were called to the 1300-block of Lincoln Street for a welfare check on a person on the street by the church around 12:15 p.m. by a passerby.

When they arrived, officers found a Black male face down on the sidewalk in front of Power and Light Church with apparent gunshot wounds. Paramedics arrived and confirmed he had died.

The Lake County Indiana coroner identified the victim as 13-year-old Orie Dodson. His cause of death was gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

"I couldn't do nothing but scream and holler because that's my baby. He didn't deserve this," said his mother Latrice Dodson."

She said he was murdered after leaving home following a dispute on social media.

"They chased him from 15th and Grant to right here on 15th and Lincoln at this church, and they killed me baby," she said. "I guess he walked out the back door and he was FaceTiming them, arguing with them, and I think they seen his background and what was going on, and they found him."

"I had just told him to stay in the house, Orie. Stay in the house," she added. "If he would have just listened to me, he would still be alive right now, today."

An investigation by the Gary Metro Homicide Unit is ongoing. No information about any suspect or suspects have been released.

If you have any information call 219-755-3855.