Suspect in Portage shooting arrested in Lowell
A Chicago man is in custody after a shooting in Portage Monday and a standoff in Lowell Tuesday that might have been sparked by a romantic rivalry, Portage Police said.
Around 4:22 p.m. Monday, Portage officers responded to the 200 block of Greta Court for a report of a man being shot. Police later learned the alleged shooting occurred in the 300 block of Jacobs Place nearby but the victim had been moved.
Police located a Hobart man, 28, who had suffered gunshot wounds to his left arm and leg. Officers applied tourniquets to stop the bleeding until fire department personnel transported the man to Northwest Health-Portage. He was then flown to a trauma center via Lutheran Air and is expected to survive.
Portage Police said their initial investigation showed the shooting may have been motivated by romantic rivalry. Police identified several locations in Northwest Indiana and Chicago where the suspect, Jim Ferguson, 27, could have fled. Several law enforcement agencies were asked to be on the lookout for him.
Early Tuesday morning, Lowell Police located Ferguson’s vehicle at a residence in the 1600 block of Bluebird Court. Portage detectives and SWAT officers responded to take Ferguson into custody; two adult females and an infant voluntarily left the home and officers confirmed Ferguson was inside alone.
Police said that after numerous attempts to negotiate with Ferguson failed, the remainder of the Portage Police SWAT team was activated and several homes in the area were evacuated. After about two hours of unsuccessful attempts to get Ferguson to surrender, a chemical agent was deployed into the home to drive him out.
Ferguson was taken into custody without further incident and his vehicle was impounded and is being held pending the issuance of a search warrant.
Ferguson is being held without bond at the Porter County Jail on a Level 3 felony charge of aggravated battery, as well as several active felony warrants in Lake County. The Porter County charge is subject to change and/or enhancement after review by the prosecutor’s office.
The Lowell Police Department, Portage Fire Department, Porter County 911, Lowell Volunteer Fire Department, Tri Creek Ambulance Service, Lutheran Air and Portage Towing assisted.
“Through the dedicated teamwork of these organizations, we were able to bring this situation to a quick and safe conclusion and provide lifesaving care to the victim of this crime,” police said.
Suspected meth dealer arrested by PCMEG
The Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group arrested an alleged methamphetamine dealer in LaCross Monday, according to a release.
Around 11 a.m. Monday, PCMEG, joined by Sheriff Jeffrey Balon and Chief Deputy Tim Manteuffel, were en route to an undisclosed location in Porter County for a narcotics investigation when the location changed to the first block of West Main Street in LaCrosse.
When detectives tried to take a subject into custody, he fled, leading to a short vehicle pursuit. The pursuit ended safely when detectives used a vehicle maneuver to disable the suspect’s vehicle, police said.
The suspect, later identified as Kenneth Thews, of LaCrosse, was taken into custody by Balon and Manteuffel without further incident.
Thews was transported to the LaPorte County Jail and released to jail staff on a Level 3 felony charge of dealing methamphetamine; Level 6 Felony charges of resisting law enforcement and methamphetamine possession; and misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and driving while suspended.
