Lake and Porter counties have released their 2024 statistics, with Gary leading Lake County and Portage leading Porter County.
Porter County had eight homicides in 2024, with three in Valparaiso and four in Portage, Coroner Cyndi Dykes said in an email. The eighth occurred in Lake County in 2010, but the victim died from the injury at a Porter County long-term nursing facility.
In 2023, the county only had two homicides, and Dykes said Porter County has averaged between two and four each year since she became coroner in 2019. The homicides rarely occur outside of Valparaiso and Portage, she said.
The majority of homicides are from gunshot wounds, and no specific trends have been noted with the homicides through the years. Four homicide victims were in their 20s, with one woman and three men.
Dykes did not share the ages and genders of the other victims.
Lake County saw 65 deaths in 2024, with 24 victims dying in Gary, according to Chief Deputy Coroner Yvette Manfredy. Ten victims died at Methodist Northlake Hospital, and one at the Boys and Girls Clubs in Gary.
In a Jan. 10 news release, the Gary Police Department said the city saw 40 homicides in 2024, which is a 23% decline from 52 in 2023. The news release said 2024 had the lowest number recorded since 2018.
The police department’s homicide closure rate was 74%, surpassing the national average of nearly 58%.
Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon told the Post-Tribune that he’s proud of the employees and city at large for helping decrease the homicide rate.
“I believe it’s a move in a positive direction,” Cannon said. “The citizens make sure that when we receive information, we’re being held accountable and making sure that we do something about it. I think this was a record year for the police department in a few categories, and I’m hoping to maintain that momentum going forward in 2025.”
Hammond had 10 homicides in 2024, according to Cpt. Steve Kellogg, but Lake County coroner statistics said 13 homicides occurred in the city. Nine victims died in Hammond, according to the coroner.
In 2023, Hammond had six homicides, Kellogg said.
“The fluctuation in homicide rates can be attributed to a wide range of causes which can make it difficult to pinpoint any one reason for the slight rise or fall of rates from year to year,” Kellogg said in an email. “The HPD remains committed to reducing homicide rates and enhancing public safety.”
East Chicago has seen a 69% homicide decrease in a four-year span, according to a news release from the department’s Chief Jose Rivera. Coroner statistics and Rivera said the city had four homicides in 2024.
Four victims died in East Chicago, and four victims died at the city’s Saint Catherine’s Hospital, according to coroner statistics.
East Chicago had five homicides in 2023, 11 in 2022, and 13 in both 2020 and 2021, according to Rivera’s release. The police department also had a 100% homicide clearance rate last year.
“It was because of our partnership, our use of technology and the hard work of all the men and women of the East Chicago Police Department that we were able to accomplish this,” Rivera said. “This type of hard work by all my officers is worthy of recognition…”
Also in Lake County, two homicides occurred in Crown Point, two in Lake Station and one each in Hobart and Whiting. Two victims from Ford Heights, Illinois, one victim from Lansing, Illinois, and one victim from Chicago Heights, Illinois, died in Lake County.
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
akukulka@post-trib.com