On January 13, 2023, an 18-year-old teenager, Johnathan Brown, died after being shot in the parking lot of a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Homewood, Illinois. The incident occurred around 8:35 p.m. when police responded to reports of shots fired in the 17500 block of Halsted Street.
Johnathan Brown, who was a football player for Merrillville High School in Merrillville, Indiana, was found by officers with life-threatening gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
In addition to Brown, a second 18-year-old victim from Merrillville, Indiana, was also injured in the shooting. This individual drove himself to a hospital in Gary, Indiana, where he was treated and later released.
The investigation into the shooting is being conducted by the Homewood Police Department's Criminal Investigations Unit, with assistance from the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force. As of the latest reports, no suspects have been identified or arrested, and police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 708-206-3420.
Johnathan Brown was remembered by his school community as a valued member of the Merrillville High School football team and a wonderful young man. The school district expressed their condolences and announced that additional staff and counselors would be available to support students during this difficult time.
