16-year-old murdered in Michigan City

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Isiah Wright, 16, died late Thursday night after being shot on E Michigan Blvd. in Michigan City.

At around 10 p.m. police were called to the 1200-block of E Michigan Blvd. after receiving multiple calls of shots being fired.  An officer found Wright lying unconscious with a gunshot wound in a field near Eastport Early Learning Center.  He was pronounced dead at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital.

"I know this city that we live in takes a big toll on what happened,” said Andrew Wright, Isiah’s brother.  “The violence here took a major jump over the past few months."

Wright’s family spent Friday waiting for answers and grieving.  Though his life was short, it was filled with struggle and tragedy.  His mother was murdered by his father when he was just 2-years-old; he and his four older brothers were taken in by their grandmother.

"I lost my daughter, which was his mother, and I didn't want to adopt them out here and there, I wanted them to stay together,” explained Beulah Hannah, Wright’s grandmother.  “I learned to love them like they were my own."

Despite the struggles of his childhood, Wright’s family said he was an honor roll student and a fantastic baseball player.  He planned to finish high school and go to law school.

"Anything that he wanted to do he could do it…I just hate to give him up; I just don't want to give him up,” Beulah Hannah explained, holding back tears.  “I had to give his mom up, now I have to give him up."

According to police, suspects have been arrested for Wright’s murder.  Any motive for his killing hasn’t been released yet; his family said they have no idea why anybody would want to kill him.

“I want them put to sleep,” Beulah Hannah said of Wright’s killers.  “I’ll never get over it.”

Wright’s family shared their story with ABC 57 because they hoped that his story and the heartbreak his death has called would shine light on the devastating consequences the escalating youth violence problem is having on Michigan City.

"I tried to tell him, stay out of these streets man,” Andrew Wright described.  “I didn't even get to say goodbye."

On Friday afternoon the Michigan City Police Department announced that three suspects had been arrested on preliminary charges of murder and robbery.  Further information about the suspects will be released after they appear in court for a probable cause hearing.