Full Breakdown
Shooting Halts Power Restoration in Gary, Indiana
8/17/2026, 2:50:38 AM
Storm Aftermath and Outage Scale
Severe storms early in the week brought historic rainfall, straight-line winds up to 99 mph in Gary, and flooding that breached river banks. Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency, and President Donald Trump approved a FEMA Emergency Disaster Declaration on August 11, 2026.
Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) reported more than 300,000 customers without power at the height of the outages. By Saturday morning the figure fell to 158,000, with Gary still hardest-hit at over 33,000 residents in the dark.
Incident Details
During overnight restoration work, a NIPSCO crew’s SUV was struck twice by gunfire in the 200 block of Rutledge Street. No crew members were injured. Investigators are seeking evidence to determine whether the shooting was targeted.
Official Statements & Responses
Mayor Eddie Melton called the attack “absolutely unacceptable” and said crews are there to restore electricity to families who have endured days without power. He announced coordination with Gary police, the Indiana State Police, and additional state troopers to protect utility crews.
NIPSCO said it was aware of the incident, paused work briefly, and resumed later Saturday after coordination with law-enforcement agencies.
Police Chief Derrick Cannon described an “organized effort” among local and state agencies to secure the restoration sites.
Governor Braun noted that the emergency declaration enables federal resources to support storm-related response, including power-grid repairs.
Resident Criticism
Local residents expressed frustration that the shooting could delay power restoration. Kenneth Lewis called the incident “utterly disgusting,” and Andre Adams said the situation is “hurting us” and forces the community to suffer until crews can return.
Data & Statistics
- Peak outage: >300,000 NIPSCO customers without power.
- Saturday reduction: 158,000 customers still without service.
- Gary-specific outage: >33,000 residents without electricity.
- Storm-related fatalities in Indiana: six deaths.
- NIPSCO restoration targets: 90 % of affected customers by the Tuesday following the incident; 100 % by the next Friday.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Let me be clear: this type of violence is absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the City of Gary,” — Mayor Eddie Melton
- “We have an organized effort. We are actually meeting right now. We have a crew that is meeting with other people, but I don't want to give out the logistics of how those things go,” — Police Chief Derrick Cannon
- “It's hurting us because of the situation, so we have to suffer until they can actually get out here and do something,” — Andre Adams
What’s Next
FEMA assistance will support ongoing repairs, and NIPSCO aims to meet its 90 % restoration goal by the upcoming Tuesday, with full service expected by the following Friday. Gary officials continue to work with law-enforcement partners to ensure crew safety as restoration proceeds.
