Shots in a Gary alley early on October 12, 2024, ended the life of 63-year-old Joseph Harris. First responders arrived about 6:04 AM and found Harris unresponsive in an alley on Calhoun Street; he was pronounced dead by 7:20 AM. The Lake County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide and an autopsy was scheduled to establish the precise cause of death.

Harris was a lifelong Gary resident known for his kind heart and generous spirit and was described as a loving father, grandfather, and friend. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit and the Gary Police Department are handling the investigation. Authorities have not released a motive or identified any suspects, and no arrests have been announced.

Anyone with information about Joseph Harris’s killing is asked to contact the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force.