Person of interest arrested in Gary baby's death

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BY LAURI HARVEY KEAGLE AND CHRISTINE KRALY
Times Staff Writers | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 | (63 comment(s))

GARY | A 33-year-old man arrested on a warrant in Porter County was being held as a person of interest in the shooting death of a 13-month-old baby in Gary late Monday.

Police were not releasing the name of the man or any other information about him.

Josiah T. Shaw of the 9600 block of W. 77th Street in Schererville was pronounced dead at The Methodist Hospital's Northlake Campus in Gary at 10:15 p.m., according to a spokeswoman for the Lake County coroner's office.

Shaw suffered multiple gunshot wounds in a carjacking in Gary in the 500 block of W. 21st Place Monday night, the spokeswoman said.

The baby's death has been ruled a homicide.

The boy's mother, Kwana Shaw, 29, was also shot in the incident. She remained at The Methodist Hospital's Northlake Campus in Gary Tuesday morning in critical condition, according to Gary Police Commander Samuel Roberts.

Roberts would not characterize what relationship, if any, the person of interest being held in Porter County might have to the Shaws. Other people are also being questioned in connection with the crime.

"The matter is definitely still open," Roberts said.

The mother and son are former residents of the Lakeshore Drive Apartments in the city's Miller Neighborhood, a manager at the complex confirmed Tuesday morning.

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My Prayers wrote on Feb 1, 2008 1:26 PM:

" I have found it hard to go on thinking business as usual since this terrible tragedy has struck this young mother. My heart and prayers go out to the family in their difficult time. I too am a young mother with a 1 year old child and I find this very difficult to even imagine what the family is going through. I pray that God grabs a hold of you during your grief and I pray that you gain the strength to make it though.

"

D Chicago wrote on Feb 1, 2008 10:08 AM:

" I see ignorance is in abundance. A child gets murdered by a carjacker and the mother gets blamed. It takes quite a simple mind to come up with that logic. I hate ignorance. "

To Big Puff wrote on Feb 1, 2008 7:50 AM:

" I also know this young lady and her best friend...they are good girls...the mother is a graduate of IU in bloomington...she was born and raised in gary and moved with her immediate family to escape the violence of gary but she still had family and friends in gary...since when can a mother not visit a friend at 7pm. You need to take a look at yourself if you could even began to sympathize with the scum bag that did this. "

Not Right wrote on Jan 31, 2008 9:43 AM:

" As a new mom, I could not imagine this! This Guy needs to be shot himself, that was not right to kill an innocent baby!! "

to big puff wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:30 AM:

" she was a resident of Gary...moved with her fam to escape the killing fields of GI...and was visiting her best friend who she has been friends with since her youth...I know this girl and her best friend and they aint what you think...they are from the good cloth...you mind is messed up if that is the first thing that you think about! "

To Big Puff wrote on Jan 30, 2008 3:41 AM:

" You act like it was 1:00 in the morning. IT WAS 7:00 PM!! Maybe she was leaving a relative's house or maybe a relative was babysitting, you don't know. So that makes it her fault that her baby is gone? You are full of crap. That is what is wrong with this country, blame the victims and cuddle the criminals. "

Angry New Mother wrote on Jan 30, 2008 3:34 AM:

" May this evil person burn in hell for what he has done! Who would kill an innocent baby! I do not think this was a random act. I think this was planned out. As a new mom this is really blowing my mind as to how evil people really are. I guess I have to get me a pistol soon. "

Sue Thomas wrote on Jan 30, 2008 12:06 AM:

" This is very sad, however, it is just a sign of the times. There is just too
much of this going on and no one seems to think that it's they're problem. Not
just in this city but all over this country. And we're worried about money and power and everything else but our babies. "

senseless wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:48 PM:

" I know there are no words, but you are in my prayers. May God wrap you in his feathers in your time of grief. "

Big Puff wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:53 PM:

" Uh, innocent until proven guilty remember?? This guy is only a person of interest. Don't put him in his grave before the facts are even tied together. Oh yeah, if she was a Schererville resident, why is she toting a 13 month old around a crappy neighborhood at that time of night??? "

So sorry wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:24 PM:

" Our prayers are with the Mother and her family. There is no possible way to explain her grief and sorrows at this time. I hope they catch this person and the death penalty should be given. We are tired of these criminals killing our babies. Enough is enough! "

What a concept wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:04 PM:

" Mr. Mayor,

What do you think now about your City not being violent? Take your head out of the sand and fix this. "

unabashed Clay basher wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:19 PM:

" I hope this puts an end to Clay's sugar coating Gary. One day we read that the schools in Gary give an obscene number of waivers to students. The next day we read about a School Board member living it up in the topics. The following day two and maybe three more people are dead in Gary. Clay needs to first accept that there is a problem, then progress from City Hall can begin. "

epinky2295 wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:39 PM:

" This is just messed up. A BABY man I hope this guy spends life in prison. If he is executed he wont suffer. "

Death Penalty wrote on Jan 29, 2008 4:54 PM:

" No excuse for stuff like this. Now that they have caught this guy, get ready for all the sob stories in the news about his sorry and sad upbringing. The "reporters" (they always tend to be the same 2 or 3) tend to run out of gas on the actual story about these heinous crimes, and then for lack of something to report about, do a mini-biography lasting two or more days about the way we should feel "sorry" for the perp, because he had to eat soup beans or something similar during his early years. This crap has got to stop! "

NTheNo wrote on Jan 29, 2008 3:19 PM:

" What a low life, and that's putting it mildly. God don't like ugly & he will pay for his actions. "

I'm So Sorry wrote on Jan 29, 2008 2:18 PM:

" May God be with you at this time of need. My thoughts and Prayers are with you and your sweet Baby. This non-sense violence needs to stop. God Bless you. "

Paul wrote on Jan 29, 2008 1:46 PM:

" There is no crime, no drugs, no killings in the land of Rudy and the people need to wake up you got what you voted for and be ready for your police dept. to crumble and officers to leave. "

Kathy wrote on Jan 29, 2008 1:21 PM:

" My prayers are with the family. How can anyone hurt an innocent child. Was car jacking that important to kill a baby? I hope the person or people who committed this horrible crime never see daylight again and stay behind bars. "

Kim wrote on Jan 29, 2008 1:13 PM:

" That is not a human, it is an animal. Don't tell me the death penalty doesn't have applications..... "

Mom to 2 wrote on Jan 29, 2008 12:53 PM:

" What kind of animal would shoot a child? This person deserves the same kind of treatment when it comes time for punishment! "

RR wrote on Jan 29, 2008 12:52 PM:

" Ok Gary PD, don't mess this one up. "

Concerned Citizen wrote on Jan 29, 2008 12:44 PM:

" Mayor Rudy Clay lives in a dreamworld. How can the mayor of one of the largest cities in Indiana think that the city is improving? It is getting worse! The citizens of Gary need to wake up, put their differences aside and elect city officals that will make a difference. This type of thing brings down the whole region!!! "

"Gary is not a violent city" wrote on Jan 29, 2008 12:33 PM:

" This is a quote from Mayor Rudy Clay after the latest incident of violence in the city of Gary. He said it on television for all to see and hear. What? Is the mayor suffering from delusions of grandeur or something? Maybe he needs to see a psychiatrist. "

so sad... wrote on Jan 29, 2008 12:10 PM:

" How horrible! How could anybody shoot a baby? Its just so sad...my prayers are with the family. Gary is just getting worse every day. Such a shame... "

Concerned Citizen wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:33 AM:

" Rudy Clay is an idiot! How can he say crime is down and that Gary is on the rebound? This kind of incident is sickening and only shows that Gary needs a compete overhaul of it political "leaders."

Wake up Gary!! "

OUTRAGED wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:33 AM:

" I hope they find the creep that did this. Clay start putting more emphasis on crime in Gary besides the Sheraton, China and taking pictures of this crime invested city. "

Lisa wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:25 AM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with the mother and her family. She is a friend of mine and it sadens me that someone did this to her and her baby. "

OUTRAGED wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:24 AM:

" People want to walk around with guns killing people, (innoecent baby at that)send them to Iraq. This was very senseless. My prayer goes out to the family. "

too busy wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:13 AM:

" Rudy is too busy road tripping in his chauffeur driven black H3 on the tax payers dime. Maybe that $25,000 he pays his official photographer..ie his son.. should be used in crime prevention "

fed up wrote on Jan 29, 2008 11:12 AM:

" Maybe instead of having a patrol car in front of his house Mayor Clay should have them patroling the city. "

Disgusted wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:57 AM:

" I am so tired of hearing of these awful crimes against innocent people. Jenny, I totally agree with you about bringing kids into this crazy world! I have a 4 and 5 year old and wonder how bad will things be 5 or 10 years from now. I know this little angel will rest in peace and I hope God will give the family the strength to get through this. "

no way dude wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:57 AM:

" can anyone please tell me that i'm just dreaming ! ican't belive what i'm reading here! this is OUTRAGE !!!! RUDY WAKE UP!!!!!IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING THE CITIZENS WILL WE WILL TAKE BACK OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IF YOU WON'T WE WILL!!!WE CAN'T LOSE ANYMORE BABIES!!!! "

Multiple shots? wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:48 AM:

" Dude didn't stop after one shot...just kept shooting ?? Unbeleivable. Im with 'Now A Texan'...Glad I moved out of the region. "

SICK wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:40 AM:

" Where are these people coming from.Our children are being killed all the time what is going on!!! I'm so scared for my own children and how nobody is safe anymore.Poor baby boy Im so sorry.This thing that did this will be punished. "

Now a Texan wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:35 AM:

" I am so glad I left the region! This is outrageous. What kind of scum could shoot an innocent child? Good job Rudy, nice safe town you've got there. God Bless the child and his family. "

now thats safe wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:31 AM:

" i remember hearing good ole rudy stating how safe the city of gary i guess hes right "

MADD wrote on Jan 29, 2008 10:23 AM:

" WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO THIS TO A BABY THIS PERSON NEEDS TO BE FOUND AND KILLED. BECAUSE THAT IS A PUNK WITH NO MORALS.I HPOE AND PRAY THEY FIND THIS PRESON MY PRAYS ARE WITH THE FAMILY "

Jenny wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:43 AM:

" How sad is that? To kill a baby that has no idea whats going on!! I really can't beleive what some of these people are doing now a days. Its down right disgusting the things you hear or read about. It seems to get to a point where you don't want to bring any kids into a world like this. "

Animals! wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:32 AM:

" I am outraged, what kind of ANIMAL kills a poor little baby. Rudy Clay, get your head out of the sand, no one is EVER going to invest in a city full of wild animals. No one is even going to visit there when even BABYs are gunned down by the animals you allow to live there. Wake up and DO SOMETHING. "

Amazed wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:32 AM:

" What kind of person could harm an innocent baby? "

SICK wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:22 AM:

" HOW COULD SOMEONE TAKE THE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT CHILD JUST TO TAKE A CAR???!!!! LET ALONE MORE THAN ONE TIME, THAT IS REALLY SICK AND I CANT BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD HAVE THE SCREWED UP HEART TO DO SUCH A THING,..... MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE SHAW FAMILY.... "

Archer wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:08 AM:

" Mr. Clay,

you need to worry less about your stupid boats and more about getting your crime under control. What a tragedy. "

Pear wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:06 AM:

" Gary, my hometown, has become unbearable. It is dysfunctional politically. Dysfunctional police department. City taken over by what?
Insurgents? No. Iraqi militants? No.
Just a bunch of thugs who have been given carte blanche by the powers that be, to kill, steal and destroy. The enemy is within. "

Me wrote on Jan 29, 2008 9:01 AM:

" I don't understand this one. "

Gary gas officially hit a new low wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:52 AM:

" What a shame. These savage killers have taken over the city and all Rudy Clay worries about is getting re-elected "

Hammond Resident wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:44 AM:

" I hope the police find him and someone buries whoever did that underneath the jail. What the mess is wrong with all these people killing children? "

amazed wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:36 AM:

" and old Rudy Clay constantly states there is no crime in Gary! The person who did this is nothing but an animal just like the rest of the city "

JMB wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:33 AM:

" How in the heck could you take a life of a child so innocent to what this messed up world is about. And to the person who took this toddlers life SHAME ON YOU. If you are man enough to shoot a child and his mother you should be man enough to give your sick and selfish self up. "

D Chicago wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:27 AM:

" This has to stop. I did not even know that pounks were still carjacking. "

ie0209 wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:22 AM:

" what is this world coming to? no money for the middle to lower class will bring more crime and it is sad that a baby had to die "

It takes a coward wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:19 AM:

" to kill an innocent baby. What is wrong with people? What is the point in killing the child? It's bad enough that you steal but you have to kill as well. Thank goodness I am a mother with a gun. I wouldn't stand for that nonsense. May God bless this woman in her time of need and bless the child who was unjustly killed. This makes me sick. Why don't the people of Gary get jobs instead of stealing and killing from the people who do. "

mimi wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:15 AM:

" i hope they get who did this. "

GAC wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:07 AM:

" Oh Boy! I see it now. No sympathy for the loss of a child's life, just rightous indignation concerning people's attitudes towards Gary. Let the Gary-Bashing begin "

Sad wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:03 AM:

" What is our world coming to? How unbelieveably tragic that someone could feel that a car is more valuable than a baby's life. My deepest sympathies to the family of the baby and mother who was also injured. How cruel and heartless can a person(?) be to just shoot a young human being????? "

Appalled mother wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:47 AM:

" This is absolutly appalling!!!! they need to do the same to the carjacker! This poor baby did not deserve this!! I just don't understand how someone could do this to a baby!! My sympathy to the family. This is what is wrong with the world today. I know i am afraid for my kids. "

God Bless Them wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:44 AM:

" I pray that God blesses this baby and takes him home, that HE holds this mother tightly and gives her stregth and courage to carry on, and that HE will intervene and rid this world of such careless cruelty and disregard for decency and human life! Amen. "

Gary Cop wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:39 AM:

" Come on Rudy ....tell everyone how Gary is not a violent city and that you cut 10 policeman from the city budget this year and that we are actually 35 officers down because you won't hire any policeman. "

Fed Up wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:26 AM:

" This goes beyond pathetic and disgusting. Once the killer is identified, beyond a reasonable doubt, Please release him to the the General Public for sentencing. "

Sad )c; wrote on Jan 29, 2008 7:00 AM:

" This is just tragic. My sympathies to the family that has to endure this tragedy.

To the "gangster" that did this, SHAME on you. What if this happened to one of your family members?

What is wrong with you people? Innocent people are getting hurt because of your narcissistic ways. ENOUGH already!

Gary use to be such a lovely town when I was growing up. Now, like many towns it's going straight to hell...

I've lost a family member(who's still alive) to a crack house in Gary. It won't be long before they are hit with the same violence. My heart just aches...

STOP AND THINK PEOPLE! "

Kim wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:55 AM:

" You know, this is exactly why people have the attitudes they have about Gary. All they know is violence. That's all they know, and how many innocent children have to die before somebody does something? "

Gary, Indiana wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:51 AM:

" Monsters "

Where Else? wrote on Jan 29, 2008 6:50 AM:

" An example of Gary's mentality. A 13-month old baby murdered for a car. Why doesn't mayor Clay ask for the National Guard to patrol the streets. Oh, I forgot, they are in Iraq patroling the streets. Thanks Clay, and thank-you too Mr. President. "

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