Hammond man fatally shot at his own birthday party

(HAMMOND, Ind.) A Northwest Indiana man died Saturday night after being shot at his own birthday party.

Lonnie Williams, 44, of the 1000 block of Bauer Street in Hammond, was shot shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, according to Hammond police and the Lake County coroner’s office. He was pronounced dead at Franciscan St. Margaret Health at 11:22 p.m. Saturday.

Williams was at a birthday party held for him in the block where he lived, police said.

During the party, a fight broke out between two males, police said. Williams broke up the fight and told the two to leave.

But police believe one of them, a 38-year-old Hammond man, later came back to the party and began shooting, striking Williams, police said.

Indiana State Police found the suspect at a rest stop off I-65 near Lebanon in central Indiana at 8 a.m. Sunday and arrested him, police said. No charges had been filed as of Monday morning.