On the morning of August 14, 2025, 22-year-old Jontavis D. Pearson Jr., a resident of East Chicago, Indiana, was found inside a second-floor apartment at 3612 Superior Court after reports of gunfire. Officers arrived around 7:00 a.m. and discovered Pearson unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to St. Catherine Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:53 a.m. An autopsy confirmed death by gunshot wounds and the death was ruled a homicide.

The apartment door had about 11 bullet holes and numerous shell casings were recovered inside; a neighboring unit also sustained bullet damage. A juvenile was initially taken into custody and released while the investigation continued. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force and East Chicago Police investigated, and an arrest warrant was issued on September 11, 2025. On September 19 a juvenile was taken into custody and charged with reckless homicide, five counts of criminal recklessness, and dangerous possession of a firearm by a juvenile; the suspect was sent to the Lake County Juvenile Center.

If anyone witnessed activity around 3612 Superior Court that morning or has information about the shooting, please share what is known.