Pierre Rodgers

Loved ones remembered Pierre Rodgers as a loving, sweet, quiet, and laid-back man. Known to some by his nickname, “Pistol,” he was a 25-year-old Black / African American father to two young girls. His life was violently taken on Memorial Day, May 30, 2022, in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, leaving his family heartbroken and a community searching for answers that have yet to come. His death marked another tragic loss to gun violence in the city.

On that Monday afternoon, officers from the Gary Police Department were called to a residence in the 4900 block of Delaware Street, located in the city's Horace Mann neighborhood, to perform a welfare check. After gaining entry to the home, they made a grim discovery. Mr. Rodgers was found inside, unresponsive. The Lake County Coroner’s Office was summoned to the scene, and he was officially pronounced dead at 1:15 p.m. A subsequent autopsy determined the cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

The investigation was immediately launched by the Gary Police Department, with the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit taking the lead. Detectives began the meticulous work of processing the crime scene for evidence and canvassing the neighborhood for potential witnesses. Authorities have remained tight-lipped about the specific details of the case, releasing no information about what may have led to the shooting or whether there were signs of forced entry into the residence. No motive for the killing has been publicly discussed, and no potential suspects have been named.

This was not the first time Pierre Rodgers had been a victim of gun violence. In January 2015, at the age of 17, he was shot in the thigh while walking in the 4400 block of Carolina Street, just a few blocks from his home. According to a police report from that incident, he ran home after realizing he had been shot and was taken to a local hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound and a broken leg. It is unknown if this prior shooting had any connection to his eventual murder seven years later.

In the years following Mr. Rodgers' death, his case has gone cold. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified, leaving his family in a painful state of limbo. The silence from law enforcement on any progress has been difficult for those who knew and loved him. Friends and family have turned to online memorial pages to share their grief and keep his memory alive, lighting virtual candles and leaving messages like, "I love you big bro R.I.P PISTOL u will never be forgotten," and "Ma brotha was chill and laid back why yall take ma brotha."

The city of Gary, situated on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, has long been plagued by a high rate of violent crime. Its police department, often facing resource challenges, is tasked with investigating dozens of homicides each year. Solving these cases frequently depends on a combination of forensic evidence and crucial information provided by members of the community. When witnesses are hesitant to come forward or when leads dry up, investigations can stall, leaving cases like that of Pierre Rodgers unsolved.

As of late 2026, the homicide of Pierre Rodgers remains an open and unresolved investigation. His family continues to mourn a future that was stolen from him and his two daughters. The Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit still holds the case file, waiting for a new piece of information that might break the silence and finally lead to an arrest. Anyone with information about the murder of Pierre Rodgers is encouraged to contact the homicide unit or the Gary Police Department.