(The Pines, IN) - Police are turning to the public for help in solving the fatal shooting of a Michigan City High School student and the woundings of two classmates from a gun during a party after prom.

 

LaPorte County Coroner Lynn Swanson said an autopsy Monday revealed Javon Townsend, 17, was shot in the chest, left leg and right ankle.

 

“The gunshot wound to the chest went through his left lung and that’s the one that caused his death,” she said.

 

The shootings happened in Porter County, but her office is in charge of the death portion of the investigation due to Townsend dying at Franciscan Health, a hospital just outside Michigan City in LaPorte County.

 

The shootings about 11 p.m. Saturday occurred in the 1700 block of Liberty Ave. in The Pines, a  town of about 700 residents about five miles west of Michigan City.  Neighbors report hearing as many as 20 or more gunshots.

 

“When that happened, kids were just running everywhere.  There were cars scrambling trying to leave,” said Mike Schnell, 70, who at the time was standing in his driveway across the street from where the shootings happened.  He estimated 40 to 50 young people were at the house, which was rented for the party.

 

Beginning about one hour prior to the shootings, Schnell said he went outside to tell people showing up for the party not to park their vehicles in his yard or driveway.   He was still outside informing partygoers not to park on his property when bullets started flying, including one that went through his neighbor’s front door.

 

Schnell said he called the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, which reported officers were already on their way.

 

“Literally, two minutes later, there was more cop cars than you ever wanted to see,” said Schnell, who counted a dozen police vehicles.

 

He said officers would not let anyone still on the property leave or allow parents through to pick-up their children while the crime scene was being investigated.  Schnell said he later spotted a very emotional girl sitting beside some trash cans in a neighbor’s driveway being consoled by the police and other individuals about her age.

 

“She was sobbing uncontrollably for at least an hour and a half,” he said.

 

Schnell said it wasn’t until about 3:30 a.m. when he decided to go inside and take a nap then broke down crying.  He also cried heavily enough later that he stopped reading social media posts about the shootings.

 

“I feel so sorry for everybody that it happened,” he said.

 

The wounded students, Jeremiah Heard and Ginger White, were transported to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago.  They are expected to recover.

 

A gofundme account established for Heard had raised $6,000 by early Tuesday afternoon.  According to a post from family members on the gofundme account, Heard was shot in the chest and underwent surgery with another surgery planned.

 

In a statement released on Mother’s Day, Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch called the shootings tragic.

 

“My heart is especially with the mothers, fathers, families, classmates and friends who are grieving today instead of celebrating,” she said.

 

She also denounced what she called harmful rhetoric, speculation and videos circulating online about the shootings.

 

“I want to ask our community to lead with compassion and humanity,” she said.

 

Nelson Deuitch said the city is working closely with school officials and assisting law enforcement from Porter County on the investigation.  Police believe a fight led up to the gunfire.  Anyone with information is asked to contact the Porter County Sheriff’s Office.