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Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Ten years later, family still searches for Diamond Bynum and King Walker
When Lashann Walker thinks about the last 10 years, the only way she can describe it is heartbreaking. For 10 years, Walker and her other family members have searched for Diamond Bynum and King Walker — her daughter and nephew who went missing in Gary. 'I try to put it into words, and it's hard,' Walker said. 'It's a pain that lies in my heart every second and every day. I wake up every morning with them on my mind, and I go to sleep with them on my mind.' On July 25, 2015, then 21-year-old Diamond Bynum and then 2-year-old nephew King Walker went missing after they left their Gary home, according to Post-Tribune archives. The two likely went for a walk on that Saturday morning. Bynum has Prader-Willi syndrome, which leads to slow mental development, so family members had to help care for her. At the time, she was also unfamiliar with the area. 'A lot can change in 10 years,' Walker said. 'At the time, King could hardly talk. He was just a baby, saying some words, but not full sentences. … They were both just kids.' Since the disappearance, Walker said she and other family members have searched for them, and there are still no leads on what happened. 'Someone out there knows what happened,' Walker said. 'If you know anything, please come forward.' A Gary Police Department officer was unable to speak about Bynum and King Walker's case this week. Gary spokesperson Erika Blackwell sent a statement on behalf of the department, saying they recognize the disappearance with 'deep respect and unwavering commitment.' The department has worked with multiple law agencies, including the Indiana State Police and Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force. 'The case remains open and active,' the statement said. 'Our investigators continue to pursue every lead, re-examine evidence, and work closely with local, state, and federal partners in the ongoing search for answers. We recognize the profound and lasting impact this tragedy has had on Diamond and King's family. Their strength and resilience continue to inspire our commitment to uncovering the truth.' Those with information can contact the Gary Police Department or submit an anonymous tip at 219-207-8477, according to the statement. Walker expressed frustration with the Gary Police Department on this case and asked them to cooperate more with her family. As of Wednesday, she had not heard anything from police about Bynum and King Walker's case. 'I know they have a lot of cases and a lot they're dealing with, but I feel like Diamond and King have been swept under the rug,' Walker said. 'It feels like they don't matter anymore, and I don't know what else to do to make them matter.' In January, Bynum and King Walker were two people recognized at a Team NWI-Independent Search and Rescue's awareness event. At the time, 82 people in Gary were missing, according to the Indiana Missing Person Bulletin. In a January statement, Cannon said the information was outdated, and it's critical for residents to have the most accurate information. 'We take every missing person case seriously and dedicate all necessary resources to locate the individuals and bring them back safely to their families,' the statement said. 'It is our goal to work with the families of missing persons to protect their privacy and ensure the integrity of each case.' Multiple families of missing people have done search parties to look for their loved ones. Walker said search parties have continued to look for her daughter and grandson, even if she's unable to go along. 'They have people searching, but I have to work, so I'm never able to search,' Walker said. 'I wish I could work on the case fully and have time to investigate, but I have to pay my bills.' Although Walker might not be able to physically search for her daughter and nephew, she won't give up until they're found. 'All I can do is try to keep their name out there,' Walker said. 'And that's what I'm doing.'
Chicago Tribune
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Gary council passes citywide firearm ordinance
At its Tuesday meeting, the Gary Common Council unanimously passed an ordinance placing restrictions on weapon use and discharge in the city. Councilman Dwight Williams, D-6th, was absent from Tuesday's meeting, which was held at the Gary Sanitary District's administrative building. The council's Public Safety committee first heard the ordinance, which makes it unlawful for anyone to shoot or discharge guns within city limits. Indiana Code prohibits political subdivisions from placing multiple restraints on firearms, including the ownership, possession, carrying, transportation, registration, transfer and storage of the weapons, according to state code. Political subdivisions include governing bodies in cities, towns and counties. No provision specifically prohibits local governing bodies from regulating the firing or discharge of firearms and weapons, according to the Gary ordinance. 'Many cities have on the books already that you're prohibited from shooting firearms in the city,' said Carla Morgan, corporation counsel for the city of Gary. 'Because what legitimate reason, if you're not a police officer, do you have for doing such a thing?' City leadership previously believed there was an ordinance that established firearm rules in Gary, but it couldn't be found, Morgan said. Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon supports the ordinance. 'This ordinance, in its totality, is in alignment with other municipalities in this area,' Cannon said. 'Even Lake County has adopted an ordinance for unincorporated areas that is similar.' Councilman Kenneth Whisenton, D-at large, at the public safety committee meeting, asked if pellet guns were included in the ordinance. 'Nowadays, you have pellet guns that use air that can drop a human in a heartbeat,' Whisenton said at the public safety committee meeting. Whisenton and Councilman Dwayne Halliburton, D-2nd, both asked for language defining weapons to be included in the final version. On Tuesday, Morgan told council members that air guns and rifles, crossbows and firearms were defined in the ordinance's final version. The ordinance's final version also removed a section allowing hunting in the city's natural areas, of which Cannon previously disapproved. It's 'inherently dangerous' for people to hunt near the city's populated areas, Morgan said. All changes to the ordinance were included in an amendment, which was unanimously approved Tuesday night. A first offense will result in a $250 fine, a second will lead to a $500 fine, a third a $750 fine, and a fourth will mean a $1,000 fine. The fifth and any subsequent offenses will result in a $2,500 fine. All existing Gary code that conflicts with the changes will be null and void, according to the ordinance. In 2024, the city saw non-fatal shootings decrease about 10%, going from 147 incidents to 132, according to a previous announcement from the Gary Police Department. The city also had 40 total homicides, falling 23% from 2023 and the lowest number recorded since 2018. 'Through more proactive policing, we've taken a strong stance on crime prevention,' Cannon previously said in a statement. 'The improvements we've made are a direct result of our commitment to staying ahead of criminal activity and building relationships with community partners who can help solve more cases.'
Chicago Tribune
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Gary council to look at creating city-wide weapon use regulations
The Gary Common Council will later hear an ordinance that will establish weapon use and discharge regulations in the city. The council's Public Safety committee will first hear the ordinance before the whole body votes. '… it is appropriate and necessary for residents to be safe and secure in their persons and properties,' the ordinance reads, 'and that the unsafe or irresponsible discharge of firearms within the City of Gary poses a significant risk of serious bodily injury, death, or damage to person and property…' Indiana Code prohibits political subdivisions from placing multiple restraints on firearms, including the ownership, possession, carrying, transportation, registration, transfer and storage of the weapons, according to state code. Political subdivisions include governing bodies in cities, towns and counties. No provision specifically prohibits local governing bodies from regulating the firing or discharge of firearms and weapons, according to the Gary ordinance. If passed, the ordinance will make it unlawful for anyone to shoot or discharge guns within the city. Some will have exemptions, including local law enforcement, those with a valid license and acting in self-defense, those with a valid hunting license, and anyone discharging a weapon at a local shooting range or gun club. The ordinance cannot constrict legal possession, purchase or use of firearms in accordance with Indiana law, the state constitution or the U.S. constitution. A first offense will result in a $250 fine, a second will lead to a $500 fine, a third a $750 fine, and a fourth will mean a $1,000 fine. The fifth and any subsequent offenses will result in a $2,500 fine. If passed, all existing Gary code that conflicts with the ordinance will be null and void, according to the ordinance. In 2024, the city saw non-fatal shootings decrease about 10%, going from 147 incidents to 132, according to a previous announcement from the Gary Police Department. The city also had 40 total homicides, falling 23% from 2023 and the lowest number recorded since 2018. 'Through more proactive policing, we've taken a strong stance on crime prevention,' Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon previously said in a statement. 'The improvements we've made are a direct result of our commitment to staying ahead of criminal activity and building relationships with community partners who can help solve more cases.' The Gary Common Council will vote on the weapon use ordinance at a later date. The next meeting will be at 6 p.m. June 17.
Chicago Tribune
28-04-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Gary Police work with FBI to investigate teenage girl's disappearance, offer $20K for information
For Dalia Guerrero, a new update in the investigation to find her granddaughter gives her hope. 'We're happy that they're doing something and just not doing anything,' Guerrero said. 'We don't want this to be a cold case, by any means.' The Gary Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Monday that the two agencies are working together to find Ja'Niyah McMichael, a 14-year-old girl who has been missing since Aug. 12, 2024. The two agencies are also offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved with McMichael's disappearance. The city of Gary and FBI are both offering $10,000 each. A news release from the two agencies said investigators believe McMichael might be the victim of foul play, and the search remains an active and ongoing investigation. McMichael's 14th birthday was Monday, Guerrero said. 'She should be like any other 14-year-old today,' Guerrero added. 'She should be having a birthday party with her friends and family.' Jasmine McMichael, Ja'Niyah McMichael's mother, first reported her daughter missing from their home in the 1900 block of Malcolm X Drive in Gary. McMichael was seen wearing a black hoodie, black pajamas and red and black Air Jordans. The city of Gary first released an update on McMichael's disappearance on Oct. 5, 2024. In October, the city said it was working with the FBI and Department of Child Services to investigate the case, reported tips and leads, according to the city's website. 'We strongly urge the public to refrain from sharing unvetted information as this can severely impede the ongoing investigation,' Gary's October news release said. 'Our actions to date have been aimed at ensuring compliance with the law and preserving the integrity of the investigation.' The city of Gary has not included another update on McMichael's investigation online since October. In September, Darnell Compton Jr., 31, was charged with starting a brawl during a search party for McMichael, according to Post-Tribune archives. He was charged with three counts of battery, one count of strangulation and three misdemeanors. Darnell has a hearing scheduled for the end of May, according to online court records. Jasmine McMichael said Compton showed up uninvited with several family members and wanted to take their other children with him, according to Post-Tribune archives. Compton fought multiple people, including Jasmine McMichael, her aunt, Dequan Jones, and tried to punch an officer as he was arrested. McMichael was originally reported as a runaway, according to Post-Tribune archives. Guerrero said in January that the family didn't believe that theory. Representatives from the city of Gary did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday, including about why the reward money was now announced. Police Chief Derrick Cannon has continually communicated with Guerrero, she said Monday. 'They're still working on (McMichael's investigation),' Guerrero said. 'We're just missing her and wish someone would speak.' Anyone with information is urged to come forward, according to the release from the FBI and city of Gary. Tips can be anonymously submitted to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at
Chicago Tribune
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Guest column: Lake County prosecutors must drop charges against photojournalist
The Trump administration's assault on press freedom is multifaceted, targeting everything from interview editing to wire services that local papers depend on. But prosecutors in Lake County are inadvertently helping President Donald Trump advance two of his leading anti-press priorities — cracking down on media coverage both of protests and of his mass deportation agenda. On January 18, two days before Trump took office, Gary Police Department officers arrested freelance photojournalist Matthew Kaplan for doing his job — reporting on a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Gary/Chicago International Airport, a regular site for deportation flights. Kaplan was not participating in the protest but merely exercising his constitutional right to document it. According to eyewitness accounts cited in the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, Kaplan was photographing the arrest of a protester when he was himself arrested. Officers knew full well he was a journalist. Before he was taken into custody, he told the Tracker he handed off his camera and equipment to another journalist (who was also threatened with arrest). That was a smart move — police departments that arrest reporters often illegally seize and search their equipment. But it also removed any doubt about who he was and what he was doing at the protest. To state the obvious, protests in general, and particularly those resisting the Trump administration's controversial immigration policies (in anticipation of which the protest was organized) are important news. The press's presence is arguably even more vital at these demonstrations than at the White House spin sessions from which Trump has expelled reporters he doesn't like. Our First Amendment recognizes a right of assembly and a right to report on it, and that right applies to freelance journalists like Kaplan every bit as much as journalists from a newspaper. The right of the Fourth Estate to cover protests does not terminate when police break up the demonstrations, even if protesters break the law. How police respond to protests is just as newsworthy (at least) as the protests themselves. We are, in all likelihood, entering a period of widespread civil unrest — how law enforcement responds will be major news. We've repeatedly seen officers cross the line in responding to protests ranging from Black Lives Matter demonstrations in 2020 to pro-Palestine activism last spring. This isn't just one press freedom advocate's read of the Constitution — even the Department of Justice agrees. In its report on its investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department's response to unrest over George Floyd's murder, the DOJ explained that 'Blanket enforcement of dispersal orders and curfews against press violates (First Amendment) principle(s) because they foreclose the press from reporting about what happens after the dispersal or curfew is issued, including how police enforce those orders.' The DOJ has since reiterated that guidance. Appellate courts have reached the same conclusion — alleged lawbreaking by protesters, even when it warrants breaking up a demonstration, cannot justify arrests of law-abiding journalists. Nonetheless, it's unfortunately not uncommon for police to arrest journalists covering protests. Of the 360 total arrests and detainments of journalists the Tracker has documented since 2017, 296 occurred during protests. But in most cases, authorities quickly realize prosecuting journalists for doing their job is not a wise use of prosecutorial discretion — or of public funds. Chicago, for example, quickly (although not quickly enough) dropped its cases against journalists arrested during last year's Democratic National Convention. But Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter's office has not done that — 1.5 months after Kaplan's arrest, charges are still pending, and the case is currently scheduled for trial in April. Whether this is a deliberate decision or an oversight by busy prosecutors, it's a big mistake. Cities that arrest and prosecute journalists certainly risk judgment in the court of public opinion from residents who expect officials to respect First Amendment freedoms. But if that's not enough of a deterrent, they also risk liability in courts of law. Police departments from Minneapolis to Portland to New York City have settled legal actions by the DOJ or by journalists themselves challenging arrests of journalists at protests. Those settlements required the departments to commit to no longer arresting reporters just for continuing to cover protests after a dispersal order. They're just a few of the many settlements entered into by police departments that mistreat journalists. Kaplan should be commended, not prosecuted, for exercising his constitutional right to document important news up close rather than relying on the often self-serving spin authorities put out after the fact. Carter should drop the charges against him without delay. Not only would it save taxpayers money, it would send a message that, no matter what's going on at the national level, Lake County still values press freedom and transparency, and will safeguard the public's right to know during these troubled times.
