36-year-old Michigan City man charged with attempted murder after allegedly discharging shotgun at people

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. - The Michigan City Police report on Tuesday, May 21, at 7:28 p.m., the La Porte County Dispatch Center received the first of three calls regarding a person holding a shotgun while having a verbal argument with other people in the 700 block of Plymouth Court.

Officers responded to the area and encountered 36-year-old Michigan City resident Chad Topa, who was armed with a loaded shotgun. 

Authorities say they were able to deescalate the situation and safely take possession of the loaded shotgun from Topa.

Initial investigation by the responding officers indicate that Topa was having a verbal argument with multiple people in the 700 block of Plymouth Court while armed with the shotgun, and evidence on scene indicated the shotgun was discharged toward two people involved in this altercation. 

No one involved in the incident was struck by the gunfire or injured. 

Topa was taken into custody and multiple pieces of evidence were collected from the scene by officers.

The LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office presented this case to LaPorte County Superior Court 1 where the judge found probable cause to charge Topa with two counts of Attempted Murder, a level one felony, and two counts of Attempted Aggravated Battery, a level three felony.

Topa was issued a $100,000.00 cash only bond and his initial court appearance is scheduled for May 28, at 8:30 a.m. in LaPorte County Superior Court 1.