Wayne Rushing Jr.

Wayne Rushing Jr., a young man known to his loved ones as “Manty,” was remembered for always having a smile and for the laughter and joy he brought into the lives of those who knew him. The 20-year-old Black man was a father and had attended both Hammond High School and Morton High School. His family, including his parents, Deborah Jones and Wayne Rushing Sr., and his loving sister, cherished his memory as a funny, caring, and genuine person who would be greatly missed by all who were privileged to know him.

Tragedy struck on the summer night of June 18, 2015, in Hammond, Indiana. Wayne was visiting a home in the 1200 block of 170th Street with friends. Around 11:30 p.m., a gathering at the residence turned violent when gunfire erupted. Wayne was shot and killed at the scene, with the Lake County Coroner’s office later confirming he died from a gunshot wound in what was ruled a homicide. He lived just a short distance away, on the 200 block of 169th Street.

The violence of that night did not end with Wayne’s death. Two other young men who were with him at the house were also shot and critically wounded. One of the men, Derrick Wells, was shot seven times, suffering injuries that reportedly resulted in paralysis and blindness. The other victim, Rayvon Sanders, was also seriously injured in the attack. From the outset, Hammond Police investigators stated that the shooting did not appear to be a random act and that the victims were likely targeted by one or more suspects.

The investigation by the Hammond Police Department quickly focused on a suspect identified by witnesses at the scene. An arrest warrant was issued for Robert Herron, who was also known by the nicknames “Pac,” “Packie,” or “Pac Man.” According to police reports, witnesses saw Herron at the gathering shortly before the shooting. He and his associates had reportedly left, possibly to go to a strip club for a birthday celebration, before the attack occurred. A neighbor later told police they saw a gold Ford 500, registered to Herron’s girlfriend, near the house around the time of the shooting.

Following the investigation, Robert Herron was arrested and charged in Lake Superior Court with the murder of Wayne Rushing Jr. and the attempted murders of Derrick Wells and Rayvon Sanders. The case against him was built on eyewitness testimony that placed him at the scene and identified him as the gunman. The motive for the shooting was not publicly released by authorities.

A funeral service for Wayne was held on June 26, 2015, at the New Zion Temple Church in Hammond, where family and friends gathered to mourn the profound loss of a young life cut short. He was laid to rest at Concordia Cemetery. In the guestbook for his obituary, friends and family shared their grief, with one person remembering Wayne as being like a son to them, inseparable from their own child since elementary school. Another wrote, "We will cherish his memories, laughter, and joy."

The status of the criminal case against Robert Herron is not clear from available public records or news reports. Hammond Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact their detectives. The case remains a painful memory for a family and a community that lost a beloved young man to a sudden act of violence.