Suspended...WITH PAY...

Gary cop charged in drive-by shooting

VALPARAISO | A Gary police officer has been charged in the March 18 drive-by shooting on Cooley Street in Portage, which followed a fight on St. Patrick's Day at a Hobart bar.

Gary police Cpl. Steven Andrus was charged in Porter County on Thursday with two counts of criminal recklessness, a Class C felony.

Nobody was injured in the shooting, which occurred at 4 a.m. March 18 in the 3000 and 3100 blocks of Cooley Street on Portage's west side.

According to court documents, the Cooley Street resident was at Cagne's Bar in Hobart, where he, his brother and stepbrother were confronted by another group of men. A fight broke out, then the three men left.

About 45 minutes later, the Cooley Street resident told police his wife received three phone calls asking for someone who did not live at the home. During the third call, the resident saw a truck drive slowly past his house. Thinking the people in the truck had something to do with the incident at the bar, he got a pipe and began to follow the truck, according to court documents. He heard several "caplike" sounds.

Police recovered bullets from the exterior of the victim's house and another nearby house.

During the investigation, Portage police said they learned Andrus was a possible suspect. An Indiana State Police lab matched the bullets and casings found at the scene to Andrus' duty weapon.

Andrus was suspended with pay and turned in his police equipment once Gary police officials were made aware that Andrus was a "serious person of interest" in the case. Gary police Cmdr. Samuel Roberts said Thursday that Andrus remains suspended with pay."

Lets thank our lucky stars that Officer Andrus wasn't issued an ASSAULT WEAPON! The entire neighborhood would be nothing but a steaming hole in the ground.