Crime
Five People, Including Three Children, Found Dead in Northwest Indiana Home
Lake Station, Indiana – Authorities have identified the five individuals found dead inside a home in Lake Station on Friday afternoon, February 23, 2025.
Officers from the Lake Station Police Department conducted a welfare check at approximately 2:44 p.m. at a residence in the 6700 block of 9th Avenue.
Upon entering the home, officers discovered five deceased individuals, including three young children.
On Saturday, February 24, the Lake County Coroner’s Office confirmed that all five individuals had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The victims were identified as:
- Alayna Payne, 4 (homicide)
- Ava Payne, 6 (homicide)
- Aurorah Payne, 7 (homicide)
- Briana Payne, 27 (homicide)
- Robert Payne, 31 (manner of death pending)
The coroner officially ruled the deaths of Briana Payne and the three children as homicides.
However, the manner of death for Robert Payne remains under investigation, and officials have not yet classified it as either a homicide or suicide.
Lake Station Police have stated that they believe the incident was isolated and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
However, authorities have not released additional details regarding the circumstances of the deaths, potential suspects, or any possible motives.
The Lake Station Police Department, along with the Lake County Coroner’s Office, continues to investigate the case.
Authorities have urged the public to remain patient as they work to determine the exact sequence of events.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Lake Station Police Department or submit an anonymous tip through local crime reporting channels.
This remains a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more details become available.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.