Cassandra Isom

Cassandra Isom

Three Dead After Standoff In "Non-Violent City"

August 7, 2007

Gary, Indiana police say a standoff at an apartment complex ended overnight with a woman and two teenagers dead and a suspect in custody.

The standoff and deadly shootings took place overnight in Gary's Lakeshore Dunes apartment complex. A neighbor dialed 9-1-1 to report shots fired while a police officer was following-up outside the apartment building more shots came from inside and so began a three-and-a-half hour stand-off.

But Gary's police chief said Tuesday that he believes the suspect killed his family before the stand-off started.

Shattered glass and broken hearts outside a Gary apartment complex where police believe a man took the lives of a mother and her two children. A neighbor told police the last words he heard uttered inside.

"He heard a small child scream 'Daddy don't do that, daddy don't do that!" He then heard another shot," said Gary Police Sergeant Tom DeCanter.

The victims are identified as 40 year old Cassandra Isom, her 17-year-old son Michael Moore and 13-year-old daughter Ciandre Cole.

Their relatives released a statement saying "Cassandra Isom was an excellent mother, a kind a generous person. She loved people, her family and friends."

The suspect is a 41-year-old out-of-work security guard. The victims' relatives said they're aware of no signs that trouble was brewing in the household. But just after 10 o'clock Monday night neighbors report hearing several shots fired.

"A lot of gunfire, it sounds like fireworks," said neighbor Dave Caster. "I stepped out and it was crazy. It sounded like you were in Vietnam."

The first police officer on the scene called for back-up then helped evacuate another family. SWAT officers surrounded the building but not before they say the suspect fired several shots in their direction. For more than three hours, police waited.

"We weren't aware of the complete situation and didn't want to risk firing until we knew what was going on," said DeCanter.

Gary police said they believe the suspect killed the woman and children before the stand-off started. It ended when police fired tear gas into the home. They went in and found the mother and her children in the living room. Police tasered the suspect in a back bedroom and they said several weapons were at his side.

Gary's mayor said the type of violence that claimed this family has infected communities across the country.

"The majority of our murders are not gangs and thugs they are domestic like last night's. That's why I continue to say Gary is not a violent city," said Gary Mayor Rudy Clay.


See posts for her dear children Michael Moore and Ci'Andria Cole.