Man charged for fatal shooting on Borman
Post-Tribune staff report September 25, 2012 5:08PM
Updated: October 29, 2012 6:16AM
A murder charge has been filed in a shooting on a ramp to the Borman Expressway that left one man dead.
Rickey Oneal Smith Jr., 29, of Gary, was charged Tuesday in Lake Superior Court in the Sept. 13 homicide of Tyron Hopkins, 43, who died that same day at Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus where he was being treated for gunshot wounds.
A witness told police Smith and Hopkins had been in conflict for some time. A relative of Hopkins told police he encountered Smith at Gas Stop on 5th Avenue at Marshall Street the day of the shooting and said he wanted to fight. The relative told Smith he didn’t want to fight and left, but Smith followed him until he pulled into McDonald’s at 5th and Grant after seeing a police car, the probable cause affidavit states.
Smith continued driving south on Grant Street. The witness told police he spoke to Hopkins and told him Smith was following him south on Grant near 8th Avenue.
According to the witness, Smith pulled behind Hopkins on the ramp from southbound Grant Street to eastbound Interstate 94 behind Hopkins’ car. The witness saw Hopkins’ car pull off to the side and Smith’s Kia Soul passed him on the left, the probable cause affidavit states. The witness saw Smith’s arm coming up with what appeared to be a black handgun and saw Smith fire through the passenger side window at Hopkins’ car. After the shooting stopped, the Kia continued onto the interstate.
The witness found Hopkins in the driver’s seat with his head against the headrest and bleeding from a gunshot wound.
The charge is punishable by a sentence of 45 to 65 years.
