Elias R. Thomas of East Chicago faces felony charges after police say he fired a rifle into an occupied apartment while a mother and her two young children were inside.
According to court documents, East Chicago Police responded on February 5, 2026, to the 4400 block of Olcott Avenue after reports of shots fired. While canvassing the area, officers found multiple spent shell casings in the alley between buildings in the 4400 block. The casings were identified as .223/5.56 caliber ammunition. Officers also observed several apparent bullet holes in the rear door, exterior wall, and window area of an apartment on Olcott Avenue, consistent with gunfire damage.
The woman who lives in the apartment told officers she believed she knew who was responsible for the shooting and confirmed that her two juvenile children were inside the home at the time.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby bank on 145th Street, a neighboring residence, and multiple city cameras. Video showed a white Kia K5 with a black roof entering the alley and stopping between residences in the 4400 block. The driver, dressed in a black hoodie with the hood up and red pants, exited the vehicle holding what police described as a rifle-style weapon and aimed it at the apartment. Dust and debris appeared to come from the building upon impact before the individual returned to the vehicle and drove away.
License plate reader technology captured the same vehicle, displaying an Indiana “In God We Trust” license plate, traveling through East Chicago shortly before and after the shooting. Officers later located the vehicle in the 4200 block of Hidalgo Lane and conducted a traffic stop. Police detained Elias Thomas, who was seated in the front passenger seat, and transported him to the East Chicago Police Department.
During initial questioning, Thomas denied involvement. The following day, he asked to speak with detectives again and admitted responsibility for firing at the building.
Thomas told detectives he chose the location because of social media activity involving the woman who lives there. Court documents state he had seen videos and online comments he believed were directed at a family member and implied threats. Thomas said the posts caused him to “snap.” He stated he did not personally know the woman or know which apartment she lived in but recognized the location from the videos and online content he had viewed.
He described the weapon as a black .300 Blackout rifle-style firearm without a stock and told detectives he could not remember all the details because he “blacked out.”
Records show Thomas is currently on parole for a prior weapons offense after a 2022 conviction in Cook County, Illinois, for Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm.
Police confirmed the apartment was occupied at the time by the woman and her two children.
Charges filed February 7, 2026:
• Criminal Recklessness — Shooting a firearm into an occupied dwelling (Level 5 Felony)
• Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun — Prior felony conviction within 15 years (Level 5 Felony)