VALPARAISO, Ind. — A 22-year-old local man with a past handgun conviction is held on a preliminary murder count after a fatal shooting early Saturday in the 50 block of Campbell Street, the Porter County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Monday, according to The Times of Northwest Indiana.
The Porter County Coroner's Office identified the man who died as Seth Jankowski, 23, of Valparaiso.
Key facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| When | Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, about 2:56 a.m. | Valparaiso PD via The Times, NBC Chicago |
| Where | Business parking lot, 50 block of Campbell Street | Valparaiso PD via The Times |
| Victim | Seth Jankowski, 23, of Valparaiso; ruled a homicide | Porter County Coroner via The Times |
| Held | Antione Pierson, 22: preliminary murder, resisting law enforcement using a vehicle, carrying a handgun | Jail records via The Times |
| Also held | Camilo Chavez, 22: preliminary assisting a criminal, battery resulting in bodily injury | Jail records via The Times |
| Bond | Both held without bond | The Times |
| Chase ended | Ind. 249 and Interstate 94, Portage | Valparaiso PD via The Times; CBS Chicago |
What police said
Officers were called about 2:56 a.m. Saturday to a report of multiple gunshots in a business parking lot in the 50 block of Campbell Street, Valparaiso police said.
"Reports further indicated one person had sustained a gunshot wound and was down in the rear lot of the establishment," police said, according to The Times.
Officers gave aid until Valparaiso Fire Department paramedics arrived. Jankowski was taken to the Northwest Health – Porter emergency room, where he was pronounced dead, the coroner's office said. A preliminary autopsy Monday found he died of severe blood loss. The death was ruled a homicide.
The chase and the arrests
Police learned the suspects had left in a vehicle and got a description and direction of travel. A Porter County sheriff's deputy found the vehicle and started a pursuit. It ended near Ind. 249 and Interstate 94 in Portage, where Pierson and Chavez were taken into custody, The Times reported. CBS Chicago also placed the stop at I-94; an early NBC Chicago account listed I-294.
Pierson is held on preliminary counts of murder, resisting law enforcement using a vehicle and carrying a handgun, records show. Chavez is held on preliminary counts of assisting a criminal and battery resulting in bodily injury.
Prosecutor Gary Germann expected formal charges to be filed later Monday, when details of the accusations would become public, The Times reported.
Past case
In January 2023, Pierson pleaded guilty in Porter County to a misdemeanor charge of carrying a handgun without a license, records show. A more serious felony count of theft of a firearm was dismissed in return. He was sentenced to a year, with all but two days suspended.
What's next
Police have not said what led to the shooting. Watch for the formal charging documents and first court dates in Porter County.
Pierson and Chavez are presumed innocent. Preliminary counts are not convictions, and the state must prove any charge in court.
Photo credit
¹ Lincolnway in downtown Valparaiso, Indiana — photo by Dennisyerger84 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not the Campbell Street scene.
² Porter County Courthouse, Valparaiso — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not connected to the shooting scene.
³ Franklin Street east of the Porter County Courthouse, Valparaiso — photo by Chris Light, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized for web; this copy is shared under the same license. Illustrative; not the Campbell Street scene.
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