Man in custody after girlfriend’s brother, mother killed in shooting

A man was in custody after he opened fire inside a northwest Indiana home Tuesday night, killing his girlfriend’s brother and mother.

Officers responded about 9:20 p.m. to a report of two people shot in a home in the 2400 block of West 61st Place in Merrillville, according to Merrillville Police Chief Joseph Petruch.

The shooter’s girlfriend’s brother, identified as 27-year-old Ryan Halbe, suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to Methodist Southlake Hospital in Merrillville, where he was pronounced dead at 9:58 p.m., according to police and the Lake County coroner’s office.

The suspect’s girlfriend’s mother, 55-year-old Candy Marie Halbe, was also shot and taken to Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary, where she was pronounced dead at 1:04 a.m. Thursday, authorities said. Both of their deaths were ruled homicides.

The girlfriend and “several other people” were in the home at the time, but no other injuries were reported, Petruch said.

The boyfriend, a 35-year-old man, ran from the home after the shooting, but was apprehended a short time later hiding in a shed about four blocks away, Petruch said. Charges were pending Thursday morning.