In the winter of 2025, a birthday celebration in Gary, Indiana, turned into a scene of tragedy. On the evening of January 21st, gunfire erupted inside a residence in the 2100 block of Delaware Street. When police officers arrived around 10:28 p.m., they discovered 26-year-old Darian Hilson, an African American male, unresponsive in the kitchen. He had been fatally shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Lake County Coroner would later confirm his death as a homicide.
The violence that claimed Hilson's life also left two other individuals wounded. A 22-year-old woman from East Chicago and a 31-year-old man from Chicago were both shot during the incident. They were transported to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. The chaos of the evening shattered the festive atmosphere, leaving a community to grapple with the sudden and violent loss.
In the days that followed, investigators worked to piece together the events of that night. Their efforts led them to identify 21-year-old Damonte S. Crawford as a suspect in the shooting. On January 29th, a tactical team executed a search warrant at a home in nearby Hammond and found Crawford hiding in the basement. He was taken into custody with the assistance of a police K-9 unit.
Crawford was subsequently charged with one count of murder for the death of Darian Hilson, as well as two counts of attempted murder for the injuries sustained by the other two victims. He also faced firearm enhancement charges. Another individual, 22-year-old Ja'Shawnta Mae King, was also arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. The specific charges to be presented against her were pending review by the Lake County Prosecutor's Office.
