South Bend Police Investigate Deadly Bissell Street Shooting After Late-Night Fight Call

 Two people have died and another remains critically injured after a late-night shooting on Bissell Street in South Bend, Indiana, turning a reported fight into a deadly scene on the city’s northeast side. South Bend police were called to the 1300 block of Bissell Street shortly before 11:30 p.m. Saturday, September 19, after receiving information about a large fight. The call was later updated to a shooting, and officers arriving at the location found three people suffering from serious injuries.

All three victims were taken to area hospitals for emergency treatment. Two later died from their injuries, while the third remained hospitalized in critical condition as investigators continued working to establish what happened. Authorities had not publicly released the identities of the two people who died or the surviving victim in the initial reports. Because identities remained unreleased, relatives and friends had little publicly confirmed information to share while investigators continued examining the case closely. Their families were therefore facing a devastating loss without the wider community yet knowing who had been affected.

South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said detectives were actively working the case, with additional detectives and technicians responding to the scene. Officers also canvassed the surrounding neighborhood as investigators sought information about events leading up to the shooting. The circumstances of the confrontation that preceded the gunfire remained unclear, and authorities had not publicly announced an arrest or identified a suspect in connection with the Bissell Street case.

The investigation was unfolding alongside another shooting reported in South Bend earlier that Saturday evening. Near Eddy Street Commons, a woman and a South Bend police officer were injured in a separate shooting. Authorities said those injuries were not life-threatening. The later Bissell Street shooting was significantly more serious, leaving two people dead and another critically injured. The two events were described as separate incidents in the available information, with no connection established publicly between them.

For the families and friends of the two people who died, the hours following the shooting have brought grief and uncertainty. Because the victims’ identities had not initially been released, details about their lives, families, work, education or relationships were not part of the public account. Avoiding assumptions is especially important while detectives continue gathering evidence and speaking with witnesses. The surviving victim is also facing a serious medical situation as treatment continues at an area hospital.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting, noticed anything unusual around Bissell Street, or has information that could help investigators to come forward. Members of the public can also provide information anonymously through Michiana Crime Stoppers. Witness accounts may help detectives establish the sequence of events, determine what led to the gunfire and identify the person or people responsible. Authorities have not announced a suspect publicly, so the investigation remains open.

As detectives continue their work, South Bend is left mourning two people whose lives ended after a shooting that began with a reported fight late Saturday night. The critical condition of the third victim adds another layer of uncertainty to an already painful situation. Additional information may be released as investigators develop the case and notify families. Until then, the known facts remain limited: three people were seriously injured on Bissell Street, two died, and one remains critically injured while police seek answers.