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Teen shot to death outside his home in Merrillville

Times - 10/4/2019

Oct. 3--MERRILLVILLE -- A 17-year-old boy was gunned down in a homicide Thursday morning, police say.

Jonas Smith was found outside his home in the 4000 block of West 73rd Avenue after Merrillville police responded about 5:30 a.m. to a report of gunfire, officials said.

Smith was taken to Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus in Merrillville, where he later died at 5:55 a.m., according to the Lake County coroner's office.

The shooting appeared to be an isolated case, Merrillville police Cmdr. Jeff Rice said.

The Merrillville Police Department assigned investigators to the FBI's Gang Response Investigative Team task force in March in an effort to address violent crime, according to the FBI.

It was the first the the department has assigned full-time investigators to the longstanding task force, which has long focused on gangs in Lake County's urban areas.

"We will be monitoring the progress of the homicide investigation to see if we can assist should that be needed," FBI spokeswoman Chris Bavender said.

GRIT provides resources such as funding, equipment, expertise, intelligence and FBI agents to cities that assign officers to the task force. GRIT is funded in part by the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area initiative and the FBI's Safe Streets and Gang Unit.

Other local departments that have teamed up with GRIT include the Lake County Sheriff's Department, Hammond Police Department, Gary Police Department, Hobart Police Department and Indiana State Police.

Anyone with information about Smith's homicide is asked to call Detective Allison Ellis or Rice at 219-769-3722, ext. 349, or email Ellis at aellis@merrillville.in.gov.

Times staff writer Sarah Reese contributed to this report.

Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail

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