On an August evening in Gary, Indiana, a fatal encounter unfolded at the Thumbs Up Bar, ending the life of 34-year-old Robert Gaskin Jr. Around 9:30 p.m. on August 19, 2025, police responded to reports of a shooting at the establishment located in the 600 block of South Lake Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Gaskin, a male, collapsed outside the bar.
He was pronounced dead at the scene from what a preliminary autopsy would later determine were three gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Inside the tavern just moments before, Gaskin had been greeting other patrons. Witnesses recounted that he approached 32-year-old Darren Michael Bryant Jr. to shake his hand and offer a hug. Instead of a friendly exchange, Bryant turned around, opened fire on Gaskin, and then fled the scene. Another witness, who was playing guitar in the bar, saw Bryant enter with a gun and then heard three gunshots. Gaskin was struck, and Bryant tripped as he ran towards the back of the bar to escape.
Thanks to witness descriptions, police quickly apprehended Bryant nearby. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing only boxers and socks, with dirt on his hands. He reportedly made several spontaneous statements to the police, claiming to be the shooter. The motive he provided was unusual; he claimed people were trying to kill him because he had farted inside a liquor store earlier that day. He told detectives he had gone to the Thumbs Up Tavern to wait for a ride because he was frightened.
During a formal interview, Bryant admitted to carrying a. 357 magnum revolver and shooting Gaskin. He stated that Gaskin had approached him and said, 'your face is familiar,' which prompted him to pull out his gun and fire, despite Gaskin making no threats toward him. After the shooting, Bryant fled into nearby woods where he claimed to have lost his pants and the revolver in a swamp. Law enforcement has not recovered the weapon or the clothing. Darren Bryant Jr. was charged with murder and is being held at the Lake County Jail.
