Christopher Watson was 16 when he was killed in Gary, Indiana, in July 2020. He was outside a residence with a 56-year-old man and a female relative, moving a treadmill into a vehicle, when assailants opened fire. The 56-year-old was wounded in the attack.

The shooting is described as targeted and tied to a cycle of retaliation. The victim’s family had been receiving death threats and were preparing to move after a double homicide in May 2020. That earlier case involved Xavier Watson and another man, who had faced charges in the deaths of Trevion Hudnell, 19, and Phillip Phillips, 21; those charges were later dropped after a claim of self-defense in an attempted robbery.

In March 2021 authorities announced arrests in Christopher’s killing: 19-year-old Devonte T. Phillips, 18-year-old Thaddeus S. McWilliams, and 17-year-old Christian I. Nelson. Devonte Phillips is the younger brother of Phillip Phillips; the three were charged with one count of murder for Christopher’s death and two counts of attempted murder for the wounded man.

If anyone knew Christopher, the family, or witnessed the events around that July day, please come forward with information.