Indiana man charged in fatal shooting of 13-year-old trick-or-treater

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Sarah Reese

CROWN POINT, Ind. — An Indiana boy killed Sunday while he was trick-or-treating in his grandmother's neighborhood had just turned 13 and was "the best son in the world," mother Jasmine Anderson said.

Thomas DeLaCruz Jr. was killed and another 13-year-old boy was wounded when several men opened fire on a group of trick-or-treaters about 7:30 p.m. in Hammond, Indiana, according to court records.

A 23-year-old Gary, Indiana, man charged Wednesday with murder and attempted murder in DeLaCruz's slaying told police he was handed a gun and felt like he had to shoot at the trick-or-treaters when his companions opened fire, according to court documents.

Desmond L. Crews, of Gary, was captured by a Hammond police officer after a father of one of the trick-or-treaters began chasing him from the scene of the shooting, Lake Criminal Court records state.



Thomas DeLaCruz Jr.

Read more: https://omaha.com/news/national/indiana-man-charged-in-fatal-shooting-of-13-year-old-trick-or-treater/article_59cdf7a7-bf32-525e-9e24-b0fe0f5f5f50.html?utm_source=omaha.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Fnews-alert&utm_medium=PostUp&utm_content=6bacec6889bf05ba106ae00be40328adccb1c8a6

[Aristus]

1. Jesus.

"Well, he handed me a gun. And what was I supposed to do? Not shoot?"

I want to scream...

[iluvtennis]

2. Just sickening. What is happening to our society. May he Rest in Peace and His Memory Be a Blessing

[CJW]

3. Indiana man charged in fatal shooting of 13-year-old trick-or-treater

What kind of lunatics are these men?!!!

[cinematicdiversions]

4. Gary Indiana's finest. He never needs to see the outside again nt.

[SoCalDavidS]

5. Guns....Eh

Let's all get outraged about guns, like it will make a fucking difference.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is about to expand gun rights, because they aren't quite lenient enough.

[BlackSkimmer]

48. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and bet this asshole did not own that gun legally.

He had already been convicted of a gun crime.

[SoCalDavidS]

51. Shocking

Which is the bottom line of why gun laws are pretty much useless.

Getting a gun is almost as easy as getting a carton of milk, if you know what you're doing.

And SURPRISE! Gun owners and those who like using them to kill, aren't exactly law abiding citizens.

Buy hey....America!!

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. How do we get the genie back in the bottle?

Last edited Thu Nov 4, 2021, 11:06 PM - Edit history (1)

I know my neighborhood is getting less and less safe. Thieves are stealing everything not chained down. Fed up people are threatening to shoot them.

It's a mess.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

32. The mad genie needs blunt force application of industrial grade laws. Another gift of

canning the filibuster would be to drop a massive federal statute on the second.

[Hav]

7. Spill the beans on everyone involved to avoid the death penalty

Charged with murder in this case probably means first degree and premeditated.

[LoisB]

8. How anyone forms the thought that it's a good idea to fire a gun into a group of trick-or-treaters

is beyond comprehension. Condolences to this little boy's family and a speedy recovery to the other child. CRAZY!

[bucolic_frolic]

9. "To the Last Man": Trick or Treaters need to be armed to protect themselves and stand their ground

[Cattledog]

10. The world according to SCOTUS.

Guns everywhere, anywhere, for everyone.

[dchill]

37. If you're not carrying a gun, it's your own fault for not shooting first.

Fascist fantasies are NOT freedoms - they're fascist fantasies.

[Devil Child]

11. Yet another victim of gang violence.

Rest in Peace Thomas DeLaCruz Jr.

[Diamond_Dog]

12. Beyond sickening.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. This is sickening. I want to move somewhere with common sense gun laws.

[orleans]

14. PEOPLE ARE INSANE!!!!!

what an absolute tragedy!
i hope the others get caught.
(my internet is wompy and i can't load the article)

[LiberatedUSA]

15. Gang violence is sickening. N/t

[DFW]

16. I want that shooter in a nasty jail for the rest of his life

I want him there in 40 years telling recent young arrivals what an asshole he was, and to never be like him if they get out.

[Traildogbob]

17. Was this gang related?

It is Indiana. Was it a white gang of Bannon cult going after young black kids? Can’t down load the article.

[Devil Child]

19. A gang of racist white bannon cultists hunting black kids in Gary, Indiana?

No, it wasn't them. Does this gang exist?

[Traildogbob]

20. Don't know

I saw the child was not white, and probably trick/treating with other children of color. I could imagine trump style Nazis roaming on Halloween looking for soft targets to follow the Bannon war plan.

[Devil Child]

21. You have a very active imagination

Do you dabble in sci-fi or fantasy writing? This was just another pointless instance of gang violence initiated by "disrespect." Hope you can download the article.

[wnylib]

63. The suspicion of a white Nazi gang was

incorrect, but in today's world, not an unreasonable suspicion.

[TheProle]

24. "I could imagine trump style Nazis"

... or you could just read the article.

[Traildogbob]

28. Not so far fetched

In Georgia. It was a father son family outing. Or for the black man, drug behind a truck with a noose. Or an Army if Rittenhouses, or proud boys, or Clarksville’s thugs.

[TheProle]

29. "It's not far-fetched"

is no substitute for facts.

Violent right-wing scum is a real and pervasive threat, but it is far from the totality of violence in the US.

[LisaL]

40. This article has his photo.

Somehow I doubt he was a "nazi." He was on probation for the previous shooting. Shot at his ex-girlfriend's apartment.
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-with-killing-trick-or-treater-on-probation-for-previous-shooting/article_5d5a7b38-1afb-5d54-9b81-086cefc15ced.html

[BlackSkimmer]

43. I hope they keep this scumball in prison this time.

He thought “he fired over their heads.” What the ever loving fuck!??!

[LisaL]

58. I sure hope they don't let him out on probation this time.

How ridiculous was that he was out on probation already for shooting at his ex-girlfriends apartment? So he was a felon with a firearm shooting at young kids.

[shrike3]

41. This is a blue area of Indiana. There are a few.

It's not the Indiana people normally think of. Democratically- controlled.

That said, there is gang activity in that area. Very sad.

[shrike3]

39. No, no, no. Not even close. This is Lake County, Indiana, southeast of Chicago.

Lots of people of color in this county.

[Polybius]

61. Here's the killer

Somehow I don't think he's a "trump style Nazi."



https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/man-charged-with-killing-trick-or-treater-on-probation-for-previous-shooting/article_5d5a7b38-1afb-5d54-9b81-086cefc15ced.html

[sarisataka]

30. Gang related? Possibly

Articles have said members of the trick or treating group and the shooter "exchanged words" a half hour or so prior. A threat was made then about coming back and shooting them.


White gang of Bannon cult? Yeah, not so much.

[BlackSkimmer]

31. Are you serious?

Maybe read the article. Also it’s not hard to find the shooter’s pic online. Smh.

[shrike3]

38. The shooting was in Hammond, not Gary. Different cities. Lot of people of color live in Hammond.

Possibly gang-related. Though I don't know. Sounds like they fired into a group of trick-or-treaters.

[Traildogbob]

42. Apologies

Meant no stereotyping disrespect. I think of Indiana and think Mike Pence white. I could not bring up the article so I only saw a young black child as a victim and a group in a drive by senselessly fired into what I thought may have been a group of black trick or treaters. I Don’t usually tie gangs and trick or treating kids as a thing. Was just curious of more details. Believe me, I live in WNC, Cawthorn Country. He has these knuckle draggers ready to roan in the vanilla ISIS trucks in Caravans and shoot anybody a little too tan even.

[BlackSkimmer]

45. Have there been drive-by shootings by "white gangs" in western NC?

I must have missed those news stories.

[Traildogbob]

49. I said;

Cawthorn is stirring up his cult following to go do it. There are very many that are itching to start the civil war. None stop gun fire echoes all around the mountains facing mine, and a rich Trump humper near me blasting daily. Semi auto high power. Not deer and Turkey gun fire practice. WNC is extremely racist. Robbinsville is famous for a hanging billboard warning only taken down in recent years. My career put me in close contact to literally hundreds of redneck college students that took pride in their hate.

[BlackSkimmer]

55. I lived in western NC for years. I have friends in Asheville, Hot Springs, Boone, etc.

I’ll have to get on them for not letting me know about these gang crimes up in them thar hills.

Let me know when these “Bannon cult gangs” start up with the drive-bys, ya hear?

[Traildogbob]

60. Bless your little heart.

Have a sweet iced tea in me. When your head is in the sand, it makes your asshole a perfect target. Lived hear my whole life, except 8 years of military during war. I know the real people here, ones you never would have associated with
over there in Asheville or Boone, etc. for a while. I am Well
Prepared, extremely capable of keeping the oath I took, when the Cawthorn’s start the civil war they scream is coming. You enjoy your avocado toast while others do the work. Like most Americans do while others are in the line of fire, supposedly protecting democracy, but this time it’s exactly why we will take the front of the line. I owe it to my friends that did not return, except in body bags in pieces, to take on this fight. Glad to. When you have been splattered by the blood of your friends for that flag, you kind of take it personal when it is being threatened. Just me though.

[shrike3]

47. It's understandable. Parts of Indiana could give Cawthorn Country a run for its money.

Lake County, Bloomington and a few other places are blue.

Even Lake County has its rednecks. Obama visited Lake County during his 2008 run. One of the talking head described Lake County as "predominantly African-American." I turned to my husband and said, "Did you hear that sound?"

He said, "What sound?"

I said, "The sound of heads exploding down in Redneckville."

[Mysterian]

54. Suspect Desmond Crews

[Torchlight]

18. Gun violence takes far too many innocents.

In every year apart from 1994 (the year of the Rwandan genocide), global firearm-related deaths were higher than global conflict and terrorism deaths.

[niyad]

22. May all involved receive everything they deserve.

[Joinfortmill]

23. This is such an obscenity. I could scream with rage.

[Bayard]

25. Imagine the outrage on national news,

If these kids had been white. This is barely a blip on radar.

[Devil Child]

27. Or if the black kid was killed by a white cop.

This is barely a blip on the radar.

[Evolve Dammit]

44. Indeed.

[cinematicdiversions]

56. Or the perpetrator had been white

Lets be real. It is not the kid preventing this from being news, it is the shooter. Who honestly should have still been in jail for shooting up his girlfriend's apartment.

[dixiechiken1]

26. My god...

[tulipsandroses]

33. Life in prison for all of them

They don’t belong in society. And I don’t mind them being in general population. These are sociopaths. Your reaction to words exchanged with kids is to execute them? You need to be locked away from society.

[cstanleytech]

34. From the article it sounds like 1st degree murder charges should be brought against

everyone in that car that stalked the kids.

[burrowowl]

36. Hope so!

1st degree and no parole for life!

[AndyS]

35. Just the cost of freedom? Nt

[Evolve Dammit]

46. more TX Bullshit?

[AndyS]

59. It goes with thoughts and prayers.

That's all we seem to get from our gun besotted leaders.

[sinkingfeeling]

50. This is one sick country.

[SoCalDavidS]

52. THIS Is Exactly How I Feel

I feel so proud.

[cinematicdiversions]

57. Only parts of it to be fair.

I feel for the poor families victimized to be living in such areas.

[Brainfodder]

53. Not buying the I had to caz others jumped off the bridge excuse either.

RIP Thomas, you deserved better.

[aggiesal]

62. I grew up in Hammond ...

I was born in East Chicago, IN. and had relatives in Gary.

[Moebym]

64. He was handed a gun and felt he had to join in?

He'd better come up with a less stupid explanation by the time he goes on trial.

[geretogo]

65. Only in America does this happen in this armed madhouse .