A Calumet City man is facing a murder charge after killing a bystander at a Hammond gas station.
Soloman Martin, 35, was charged July 27 with murder in the June 25 death of Ronnie Martin, 33, of Chicago. It’s not immediately known if they are related.
Criminal charges were unsealed last week after he was extradited from Cook County Jail.
Martin is being held in Lake County without bail. His next court appearance is Aug. 29 before Judge Gina Jones.
Hammond Police responded June 25 for a reported homicide at a Luke’s gas station, 5105 State Line Ave. Officers found 13 bullet casings at the scene.
Surveillance video showed Soloman Martin and a woman in a silver Ford Edge pull up around 2 a.m. He got out and went to the pay window. The woman with him got out and walked toward him.
Then, an unidentified man tried to get into their running car.
The woman blocked him from getting in and was “visibly upset.”
She and Martin left the gas station for his nearby apartment minutes later. He appeared not to notice what the other man did.
Less than 10 minutes later, Martin appeared to go back to confront him.
He punched him, then pulled out a gun. The other man fell or dove behind a red Jaguar.
That car was caught in the “line of fire,” charges state.
Passenger Ronnie Martin was shot once in the left chest. The driver took him to Roseland Community Hospital at 2:25 a.m. He was pronounced dead there at 3:59 a.m.
The woman rented the silver car, according to court records.
mcolias@post-trib.com
