In the early morning hours of June 25, 2023, a dispute in the parking lot of Luke’s gas station at 5105 Stateline Ave. in Hammond, Indiana, turned deadly. Ronnie Martin, 33, a father of four from Chicago, was a passenger in a vehicle when a fight broke out nearby and gunfire erupted. A stray bullet struck Martin; he was taken to a Chicago hospital and later died of his wounds.

The Hammond Police Department investigated the homicide and identified a suspect; a Calumet City man was arrested and charged in connection with Martin’s death. The shooting prompted city leaders in Hammond to consider measures such as requiring overnight closures of gas stations. Martin’s mother, Diane Morgan, mourned her son, remembering him as a loving father whose loss has left a void for his children and family.

If anyone witnessed the shooting at Luke’s or has information that hasn’t been shared with investigators, please come forward.