On the night of March 5, 2023, tragedy struck at the Wayne Street parking garage in downtown South Bend, Indiana, resulting in the death of 62-year-old Robert 'Bob' Pulliam Jr. Employed as a security guard for a company contracted by the city, Pulliam was on duty when he encountered suspicious activity within the facility. Around 11:20 p.m., police were dispatched to the garage following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered Pulliam suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.
despite the response, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators determined that Pulliam had confronted a man, later identified as 35-year-old Derrick Pratcher, who was reportedly loitering and peering into parked vehicles. The interaction escalated when Pulliam asked the individual to leave the premises. As the security guard turned his back, Pratcher fatally shot him. The incident was described by local officials as a senseless act of violence against a man dedicated to keeping the community safe. In a cruel twist revealed later by court documents, Pratcher had been involved in a violent altercation at a Mishawaka car dealership just one day prior, where he allegedly assaulted an employee, leaving the victim's family to wonder if the murder could have been prevented had he been apprehended sooner.
Robert Pulliam Jr. was remembered as a devoted family man and a hard worker with a diverse history of service. A United States Marine Corps veteran who served from 1979 to 1982, he had also worked as a steelworker and was a member of the Ironworkers Union. Beyond his primary trades, he was deeply involved in the local arts community as a member of the stage workers union, where he rigged lights for productions at the Morris Performing Arts Center. Friends and family described him as an outdoorsman who cherished camping and fishing trips, particularly in the Manistee National Forest. He left behind a daughter and several grandchildren, with whom he shared a close bond.
Following the shooting, Derrick Pratcher fled the state but was located and arrested days later in Vandalia, Michigan. He was subsequently extradited to Indiana and held at the St. Joseph County Jail. Pratcher faced multiple charges, including murder and unlawful carrying of a handgun. During the legal proceedings, a plea agreement was reached in which Pratcher pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the charge of murder, while the handgun enhancements were dismissed. In February 2025, a judge sentenced him to 65 years in prison, bringing a measure of closure to a case that had deeply affected the South Bend community.
