Nationwide — Kenneth Williams Sr., a 67-year-old African American man who was working as a security guard at a transit station in Gary, Indiana, was fatally shot by nine police officers during a late-night confrontation on August 28. He was working at the Metro Center when officers responded to a report about his behavior. His family is now demanding answers about what happened before the shooting.
Indiana State Police said officers arrived at the station around 10:54 p.m. after receiving a report that Williams was acting “unusual and erratic,” according to ABC 7 Chicago. About 30 minutes later, the situation turned deadly. Officers exchanged gunfire with Williams around 11:20 p.m., and he died at the scene.
Six Gary police officers and three Lake County Sheriff’s Department officers fired their weapons during the confrontation, according to state police. None of the officers were injured. All nine were placed on administrative leave as authorities investigate the shooting.
What happened in the moments leading up to the gunfire remains unclear. CBS News Chicago reported that investigators placed more than 100 evidence markers around the scene. A witness also said she heard what sounded like roughly 100 gunshots. Authorities have not said how many shots Williams fired or provided a detailed account of how the confrontation escalated.
The shooting has left Williams’ family struggling to understand how he went to work and never came home. His son, Kenneth Williams Jr., said he wants to know why his father was killed. Another son, Raymond Brown, said the family learned about the shooting while they were celebrating his birthday. Williams was also a grandfather and great-grandfather.
Williams Jr. later shared his grief in a Facebook post on August 30. He described the family as “heartbroken and confused” and said his father was loved by many and regularly helped people in the community. In the post, he referred to August 29 as the date of the shooting, although police have said Williams was killed late on August 28. The investigation continues as the family waits for more information about the deadly encounter.