Man charged in 2 separate Gary shootings leaving 1 dead, 1 wounded

A 24-year-old man was charged in connection with two separate shootings in Gary since December that left one person dead and another wounded.

Authorities were called about shots fired about 2:45 a.m. Jan. 5 in the 2100 block of Harrison Street, according to a statement from Gary police.

They arrived to find a 25-year-old Louis Watson, of Gary, inside a home with multiple gunshot wounds, according to police and the Lake County Coroner’s Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:37 a.m., and his death was ruled a homicide.

Montel Ray Brooks, of Gary, turned himself in to Lake County authorities in Crown Point, Indiana, on Monday after charges had been secured against him in connection to a separate shooting that happened about 4 p.m. Dec. 20, 2017, near 25th Avenue and Washington Street, according to Gary police.

Brooks was then charged with murder and enhancement with the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime in connection to the fatal shooting of Watson, police said.

Brooks is being held at the Lake County Jail without bail, police said.

Anyone with information on either shooting should contact Sgt. Michael Barnes at (219) 881-7434, Jeremy Ogden at (219) 755-8352 or the Gary Time Line at 866-CRIME-GP.