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Three more men were arrested Friday accused of following, then opening fire on a group of Hammond teenagers on Halloween, authorities said.
Thomas De La Cruz, 13, of East Chicago, was killed trick-or-treating nearby, while another boy, 13, was shot in the leg. Four men are facing charges, according to Hammond Police.
Another boy, 15, with a clown mask told police he “exchanged” words that evening with an unknown man in a green hooded sweatshirt and black shorts across the street while trick-or-treating with friends. The man threatened to get a gun and shoot him, according to court documents.
The man — identified as Sheldon Stokes — and four others have been charged with tracking down the group and opening fire.
Richard E. Walker and Stokes, both 20, of Hammond were arrested Friday after they were charged Nov. 30 with murder and attempted murder, according to recently unsealed court documents.
A third man, 18, Stokes’ relative, known as “Woosh,” was also arrested Friday, according to the U.S. Marshals. A public record of criminal charges was not found Monday. A fourth man, the driver, has not been charged. He said he didn’t know the passengers were armed and didn’t shoot.
Co-defendant Desmond L. Crews, 23, of Gary, was the first man charged in the slaying on Nov. 3. He was arrested after a teen’s father helped chase him down.
“The Hammond Police Department is thankful to the Hessville community for their support during this tragic event.,” police spokesman Lt. Steve Kellogg said in an email. “Residents were helpful in the investigation leading to the charging of four suspects and leading to the arrest and apprehension of one of the suspects that evening.
Police were called around 7:22 p.m. Oct. 31 near 167th Street and Grand Avenue in Hammond’s Hessville section for multiple reports of shots fired, according to court documents.
De La Cruz was found shot in the head lying in a yard on the 3600 block of 167th Street, according to an affidavit. He had no pulse. The boy was transported to St. Catherine’s Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Police found a second boy wounded near 165th Street and Nebraska Avenue. He told officers he was trick-or-treating with the boy in the clown mask and other friends when a car pulled up and opened fire.
Officers found multiple bullet casings on the 3600 block of 167th Street, including one that pierced a nearby apartment living room window.
The teen wearing the clown mask was out with 13 other friends, the only one with a costume, others said.
He told police he and friends were trick-or-treating near Kansas Avenue and Martha Street when a man in shorts was glaring at him across the street. They traded words with the man asking him to fight, then threatened to get a .38-caliber gun and come back, the boy said.
As they reached a nearby apartment complex on 167th Street, 4-6 people got out of the silver car, including the man in shorts. When one man took a “shooting stance,” the boy yelled for everyone to run, he said.
He heard 14 shots, then 6-7 more shots, the boy said. He ran north with his friend, the second wounded boy, then called 911.
The father of another teen in the group was at a nearby fast food restaurant when his wife called, saying there was a shooting where their child was trick-or-treating. He chased Crews down, who wore a yellow hoodie and black ski mask, documents said. A Hammond police officer arrested Crews there.
At Franciscan Health Dyer, Crews claimed he was just in the area, then left when he heard shots, because he was on probation.
After detectives told him they had video, Crews admitted he was in the passenger seat when a man in the back seat — later identified as Stokes — was looking for someone in a clown mask, according to the affidavit.
Crews said that Stokes told a group in their car that “someone was going to die tonight” and he would find the “guy” who mocked him in a “clown mask.” When the men located the group, Crews realized it was “just little kids,” but opened fire anyway, because “he felt he had to shoot,” the affidavit said.
The driver — Crews’ girlfriend’s relative’s boyfriend — said Stokes called him, saying he needed a ride because a group tried to “jump” him, according to the affidavit.
The driver and Crews headed to Grand Food Mart, where they picked up Stokes and Walker, charges state. They then drove to the 7100 block of Maryland Avenue to pick up Stokes’ relative, “Woosh.” Stokes told the driver where to go, then yelled to park when they located the group with the boy in the clown mask, the affidavit states.
After the shooting, they went on Grand Avenue to 165th Street, then Nebraska Street, where the four passengers got out and fled, according to charges. The driver then said he went to pick up his girlfriend who was shooting TikTok videos with Crews’ girlfriend at Morton High School.
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at the Chicago Tribune. Three more men were arrested Friday accused of following, then opening fire on a group of Hammond teenagers on Halloween, authorities said. Thomas De La Cruz, 13, of East Chicago, was killed trick-or-treating nearby, while another boy, 13, was shot in the leg. Four men are facing charges, according to Hammond Police. Another boy, 15, with a clown mask told police he “exchanged” words that evening with an unknown man in a green hooded sweatshirt and black shorts across the street while trick-or-treating with friends. The man threatened to get a gun and shoot him, according to court documents. The man — identified as Sheldon Stokes — and four others have been charged with tracking down the group and opening fire. Richard E. Walker and Stokes, both 20, of Hammond were arrested Friday after they were charged Nov. 30 with murder and attempted murder, according to recently unsealed court documents. A third man, 18, Stokes’ relative, known as “Woosh,” was also arrested Friday, according to the U.S. Marshals. A public record of criminal charges was not found Monday. A fourth man, the driver, has not been charged. He said he didn’t know the passengers were armed and didn’t shoot. Co-defendant Desmond L. Crews, 23, of Gary, was the first man charged in the slaying on Nov. 3. He was arrested after a teen’s father helped chase him down. “The Hammond Police Department is thankful to the Hessville community for their support during this tragic event.,” police spokesman Lt. Steve Kellogg said in an email. “Residents were helpful in the investigation leading to the charging of four suspects and leading to the arrest and apprehension of one of the suspects that evening. Police were called around 7:22 p.m. Oct. 31 near 167th Street and Grand Avenue in Hammond’s Hessville section for multiple reports of shots fired, according to court documents. De La Cruz was found shot in the head lying in a yard on the 3600 block of 167th Street, according to an affidavit. He had no pulse. The boy was transported to St. Catherine’s Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Police found a second boy wounded near 165th Street and Nebraska Avenue. He told officers he was trick-or-treating with the boy in the clown mask and other friends when a car pulled up and opened fire. Officers found multiple bullet casings on the 3600 block of 167th Street, including one that pierced a nearby apartment living room window. The teen wearing the clown mask was out with 13 other friends, the only one with a costume, others said. He told police he and friends were trick-or-treating near Kansas Avenue and Martha Street when a man in shorts was glaring at him across the street. They traded words with the man asking him to fight, then threatened to get a .38-caliber gun and come back, the boy said. As they reached a nearby apartment complex on 167th Street, 4-6 people got out of the silver car, including the man in shorts. When one man took a “shooting stance,” the boy yelled for everyone to run, he said. He heard 14 shots, then 6-7 more shots, the boy said. He ran north with his friend, the second wounded boy, then called 911. The father of another teen in the group was at a nearby fast food restaurant when his wife called, saying there was a shooting where their child was trick-or-treating. He chased Crews down, who wore a yellow hoodie and black ski mask, documents said. A Hammond police officer arrested Crews there. At Franciscan Health Dyer, Crews claimed he was just in the area, then left when he heard shots, because he was on probation. After detectives told him they had video, Crews admitted he was in the passenger seat when a man in the back seat — later identified as Stokes — was looking for someone in a clown mask, according to the affidavit. Crews said that Stokes told a group in their car that “someone was going to die tonight” and he would find the “guy” who mocked him in a “clown mask.” When the men located the group, Crews realized it was “just little kids,” but opened fire anyway, because “he felt he had to shoot,” the affidavit said. The driver — Crews’ girlfriend’s relative’s boyfriend — said Stokes called him, saying he needed a ride because a group tried to “jump” him, according to the affidavit. The driver and Crews headed to Grand Food Mart, where they picked up Stokes and Walker, charges state. They then drove to the 7100 block of Maryland Avenue to pick up Stokes’ relative, “Woosh.” Stokes told the driver where to go, then yelled to park when they located the group with the boy in the clown mask, the affidavit states. After the shooting, they went on Grand Avenue to 165th Street, then Nebraska Street, where the four passengers got out and fled, according to charges. The driver then said he went to pick up his girlfriend who was shooting TikTok videos with Crews’ girlfriend at Morton High School.