Fourth and final suspect in July South Bend shooting in custody

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The St. Joseph County Police (SJCPD) have arrested the final suspect in the July South Bend shooting following a police chase and crash Wednesday afternoon.

According to the South Bend Police, the shooting occurred on the 1300 block of Bissell Street on July 28, 2024.

SBPD Crime Scene Technicians verifying that more than 200 rounds were fired from multiple firearms.

The report states that four people were wounded and several homes and cars were damaged by the shooting.

On Dec 31, 2024, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against four suspects: 18-year-old Giovanni Tuggle,19-year-old Termel Reid, 24-year-old Jacob Pittman, and 21-year-old Deshon Gates.

At the time charges were filed, Tuggle was already being held at the St. Joseph County Jail in an unrelated case.

On the morning of Jan 6, Reid turned himself in to the police. Later that day, Pittman also turned himself in, so police were only left looking for Gates.

Fast forward to the afternoon of Jan 22, nearly a month after the charges were filed, when SJCPD attempted to pull over a car.

"Around 2:15 p.m., our Warrants Division was in Mishawaka conducting a fugitive investigation when they located a potential vehicle the suspect was in," said SJCPD.

“As they made their way into South Bend, our team asked South Bend Police to initiate a traffic stop. During that stop, around 2:30 p.m., one individual stepped out of the vehicle and cooperated with police. At the same time, wanted suspect 21-year-old Deshon Gates jumped into the driver seat and crashed right by the Morris Performing Arts Center."

Gates was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for evaluation.

All four men have been charged with criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. Pittman and Gates are facing an additional charge of possession of a machine gun.

Gates will also face charges for the police chase and crash, resisting law enforcement and leaving the scene of an accident. He is also wanted on felony drug violations out of Elkhart.

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