Teen boy killed in after-prom party shooting at NW Indiana home ID'd; 2 others injured

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. (WLS) -- The 17-year-old boy killed in a shooting that injured two other young people Saturday night during a post-prom party at a northwest Indiana home has been identified.

The La Porte County Coroner's Office said Javon Townsend, a junior at Michigan City High School, was shot three times and died at Franciscan Hospital in Michigan City.

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"He'll never have the chance to graduate, go to a senior prom. It's just so much of life he's going to miss out on senselessly," grandmother Alesia Vinson said. "It hurts. But when it knocks at your door, it's a feeling that you just can't fathom."

The shooting happened at about 11 p.m. at a home in the 1700-block of Liberty Avenue in Pine Township, just outside Michigan City, according to Porter County sheriff's police.

An 18-year-old woman and another male juvenile were injured in the shooting.

The mother of senior student Ginger White says her 18-year-old daughter was shot while trying to run away from gunfire, moments after arriving at the party.

"Just gotten out of her car, and that's when everything blew up," Ariel White said. "She heard the shots. She took off running. She had realized she had been hit; So she, like, hit the ground then rolled underneath a car."

White and another 17-year-old boy remain in the hospital in Chicago.

"All the high school kids were going whether they went to the prom or not," Vinson said.

Shocked neighbors say chaos erupted moments after someone opened fire on a house where there was an apparent after-prom party going on.

Neighbors say the owner of the residence where the shooting happened often rents out the house to vacationers.

The gunfire shattered windows of neighboring homes, too, but didn't hurt anyone else.

"I can't describe it. I can't do nothing but cry. It hurt me," Townsend's cousin Jason Mojica said.

Officials with Michigan City Area Schools said the celebration was a post-prom party following prom activities.

"Michigan City Area Schools is aware of the tragic off-campus incident involving several Michigan City High School students following prom activities," Michigan City Area Schools said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the students, families, and everyone impacted during this difficult time. Counseling and support resources will be available to our students and staff."

Police said the shooting was believed to be an isolated incident, and started with a fight.

"He gave good vibes when came over our house. And when he came over there everybody was all up on him. My dad told everybody to get away from him, not knowing that was his last day over there, last day coming over there to see us again," Townsend's little brother Jalion Yates said.

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information on the shooting.