Hammond man accused of shooting man in face

A Hammond man is accused of shooting another man in the face outside a bar.

Alejandro Zamudio, 34, is charged with attempted murder, a level 1 felony.

Around 11:10 p.m. on May 15, police responded to a report of a shooting in the 1400 block of Michigan Street, according to the probable cause affidavit. The victim called police and told them he was shot in the face in the parking lot of the Las Palmas bar, located at 1403 Michigan St., and was heading toward the police department.

The 32-year-old man was shot in the left cheek and Hammond firefighters transported him to Munster Community Hospital, records show.

A witness told police she was with the victim at the bar and went to the bathroom. When he returned, a man later identified as Zamudio approached the victim and began arguing, according to court records. She and the victim left the bar and walked to their car. Then, Zamudio approached the front passenger side of their car and began shooting at them, records state. They fled the scene by car.

The other passenger told police he was watching a soccer game with the victim when the man approached them and began causing a disturbance, the affidavit states. He said the man punched him in the face before other customers broke up the fight.

The victim spoke to police and told them Zamudio began disrespecting a woman at his table, records state. He tried to calm the situation, but the situation escalated and the victim and his friends were asked to leave. The other group of men also came out and shot him while he was in his car, according to court records.

The victim told police that he and his friend had been to the bar 3-4 times before and met Zamudio there each time, and he said his friend had also been to his house before.

The victim identified Zamudio through a photo lineup, the affidavit states.

Police reviewed video footage from a nearby business showing the victim and his friends leaving the bar toward the parking lot. Several people came out of the bar a short time later, and a person wearing a red shirt started running and headed toward the parking lot, records show.

On May 23, the Hammond SWAT team executed a search warrant at Zamudio's residence in the 1300 block of Michigan. Zamudio was arrested and taken to the Hammond City Jail, according to court records.

Police found a Ruger 9mm handgun, a Charter Arms revolver, four pistol magazines and several bundles of cash totaling more than $14,000.