Lt. Eugene Lasco died Feb. 21 after he was stabbed by an inmate at Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, officials said.
Snow falls Sunday night outside Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, where one employee was killed and another was wounded in a stabbing, officials said.
Gov. Eric Holcomb is directing flags in LaPorte County be flown at half-staff Sunday in honor of Indiana Department of Corrections officer Lt. Eugene Lasco.
The 57-year-old LaPorte man died Feb. 21 after being stabbed by an inmate while coming to the aid of another corrections officer at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City.
Lasco began his career at the maximum security prison on Oct. 19, 2009, and was a locksmith and former member of the emergency squad.
See a day in the life of Portage Patrolman Brian Graves in the latest installment of Riding Shotgun with NWI Cops.
Video filmed by Kale Wilk and produced by Scotia White. Interview by Anna Ortiz.
He served on the Technical Response Team for Safety Hazmat and received multiple accolades for his service, according to the state corrections agency.
Holcomb said flags at all government buildings in LaPorte County should be lowered to half-staff between sunrise and sunset Sunday in memory of Lasco.
The governor also is asking LaPorte County businesses and residents to likewise fly their flags Sunday at half-staff.
WATCH NOW: Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week
WATCH NOW: Gallery: The Times Photos of the Week
WATCH NOW: The Times photos of the week
Major Snow Storm Hits Region
Les Miller, of New Chicago, clears snow from his driveway Tuesday.
Major Snow Storm Hits Region
Hobart’s mascot, Yohan, is covered in snow outside Hobart’s Fire Station 1 following Tuesday's winter storm.
Major Snow Storm Hits Region
Dalton Hunter, of Hobart, helps others push a stuck car Tuesday following a winter storm the overwhelmed the Region.
Major Snow Storm Hits Region
Les Miller, of New Chicago, clears snow from his driveway Tuesday following a winter storm that dumped more than 10 inches on parts of the Region.
Oak Lawn/TF South, Boy's Basketball
TF South’s Isiah Lewis drives past Oak Lawn’s Rafael Bou on Wednesday in Lansing.
Oak Lawn/TF South, Boy's Basketball
TF South’s Isiah Lewis looks to shoot as Oak Lawn’s Rafael Bou defends on Wednesday.
Oak Lawn/TF South, Boy's Basketball
TF South’s Isiah Lewis drives for a shot against Oak Lawn’s Rafael Bou on Wednesday..
Oak Lawn/TF South, Boy's Basketball
Oak Lawn’s Ryan Kennelly draws a foul as TF South’s Christian Heffner, left, and Xavier Lewis defend Wednesday.
Winter sledding
Alberto Perez, of Merrillville, and his children, Emmanuel, 9, and Alanna, 8, brave the sledding hill at Hidden Lake Park in Merrillville on Tuesday.
Winter sledding
Chris Campbell and his 8-year-old son, Caden, of Crown Point, trudge back up the sledding hill Tuesday at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
Winter sledding
Jubal Perez, of Hammond, takes to the sledding hill Tuesday at Hidden Lake Park in Merrillville.
Winter sledding
Alberto Perez, of Merrillville, and his children, Emmanuel, 9, and Alanna, 8, come to a sudden stop Tuesday while playing on the sledding hill at Hidden Lake Park in Merrillville.
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Lake Station's Willie Miller Jr. tries to stop Kouts' Cole Wireman at the basket in the second quarter Wednesday at Lake Station.
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Kouts' Parker Kneifel holds off Lake Station's Romeo Guerra as he takes a shot in the second quarter Wednesday at Lake Station.
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Kouts' Cale Wireman battles for possession of the basketball with Lake Station's Adam Eastland in the third quarter Wednesday at Lake Station.
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Lake Station's Aman Muhammad pulls a rebound away from Kouts' Parker Kneifel in the second quarter Wednesday at Lake Station.
Preparing for Paczki Tuesday at Calumet Bakery
Alexis Sanchez, left, and Carmen Valdez fill out paczki orders at Calumet Bakery in Lansing.
Preparing for Paczki Tuesday at Calumet Bakery
Natalie Ruiz, right, assists Eddie Perez with his paczki order at Calumet Bakery in Lansing.
Preparing for Paczki Tuesday at Calumet Bakery
Jesus Torres flips paczki in the fryer at Calumet Bakery in Lansing.
Preparing for Paczki Tuesday at Calumet Bakery
Enriqueta Lopez prepares peanut butter and jelly paczki at Calumet Bakery in Lansing.
Merrillville hosts Michigan City in boys conference action
Merrillville's Dylan Coty, left, is fouled by Michigan City's Shelly Miller Jr.
Merrillville hosts Michigan City in boys conference action
Merrillville's Dylan Coty, left, is fouled by Michigan City's Shelly Miller Jr.
Merrillville hosts Michigan City in boys conference action
Michigan City's Jamie Hodges Jr. drives past Merrillville's Isaiah Akinyele in Duneland Athletic Conference action on friday.
Merrillville hosts Michigan City in boys conference action
Merrillville's Isaiah Akinyele, left, is challenged by Michigan City's Javant Hodges.
Ash Wednesday services mark start of Lenten season
The Rev. John Scott addresses the congregation at St. Michael the Archangel's Ash Wednesday Mass in Schererville.
Ash Wednesday services mark start of Lenten season
James Csonka, of Crown Point, has ashes sprinkled over his head by the Rev. John Scott during Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Schererville. The ashes were sprinkled this year to avoid direct contact.
Chesterton at Valparaiso
Valparaiso's Mason Jones looks to the basket with Chesterton's Charlie Eaton covering in the first quarter at Valparaiso on Friday.
Chesterton at Valparaiso
Chesterton's Sean Elliot tries to call timeout while falling out of bounds with the ball near the Valparaiso bench in the third quarter at Valparaiso on Friday.
Chesterton at Valparaiso
Chesterton's Travis Grayson is fouled by Valparaiso's Breece Walls in the third quarter at Valparaiso on Friday.
Chesterton at Valparaiso
Valparaiso's Grant Comstock keeps the ball from Chesterton's Justin Sims in the third quarter at Valparaiso on Friday.
portrait unveiling of former mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
Former City of Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson looks at a portrait of herself unveiled Friday at Gary City Hall.Â
portrait unveiling of former mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
Jordan Wilson, left, daughter of Karen Freeman-Wilson, is joined Friday by Gary Common Council members Ronald Brewer Sr. and Linda Barnes-Caldwell as they unveil a portrait of the former mayor that will hang in Gary City Hall.
portrait unveiling of former mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
City of Gary Mayor Jerome Prince fist-bumps former mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson Friday at the Gary City Hall. as members of the Gary Common Council presented a portrait of the former mayor that will hang at City Hall.
portrait unveiling of former mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson
Gary Mayor Jerome Prince talks about accomplishments of former Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, right, as members of the Gary Common Council and others gathered Friday to present a portrait of former mayor Freeman-Wilson that will hang in Gary City Hall. Freeman-Wilson, who served two terms as Gary’s mayor, was the first Black female mayor for the City of Gary and in the State of Indiana.
Crown Point at Lake Central boys basketball
Lake Central's student section questions a possession call on Friday in St. John.
Crown Point at Lake Central boys basketball
Lake Central's Mark Mileusnic, left, gets a basket past Crown Point's Jake Oostman on Friday in St. John.
Crown Point at Lake Central boys basketball
Crown Point coach Clint Swan, center, talks over the strategy with his players during a timeout on Friday in St. John.
Crown Point at Lake Central boys basketball
Lake Central's Nate Oakley, bottom, draws a foul from Crown Point's Jake Oostman as he pulls down a rebound on Friday in St. John.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methoist Northlake
Genette Shaw, of Gary, gets the COVID-19 vaccination from nurse Michele Rohrman at Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methoist Northlake
Clarence Brown gets his temperature taken by Kenya Jones as he checks in to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Methodist Hospitals Northlake.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methoist Northlake
Olivia Brown, left, gets a sticker indicating she got the COVID-19 vaccine at Methodist Hospitals Northlake. At center is nursing student Aleacia Sexton and RN Melissa Fohn.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methoist Northlake
Olivia Brown closes curtains as a client prepares to get the COVID-19 vaccination at Methodist Hospitals Northlake.
Crown Point vs. Fort Wayne Carroll
Crown Point's Lilly Stoddard is surrounded by Fort Wayne Carroll's Lexi Castator, Saniya and Nevaeh Jackson as she looks to the basket in the second quarter at LaPorte on Saturday.
Crown Point vs. Fort Wayne Carroll
Crown Point's Jessica Carrothers cuts the nets after the Bulldogs' 62-46 win over Fort Wayne Carroll in the 4A semistate at LaPorte on Saturday.
Crown Point vs. Fort Wayne Carroll
Crown Point's Alyna Santiago goes past Fort Wayne Carroll's Nevaeh Jackson to the basket in the fourth quarter at LaPorte on Saturday.
Crown Point vs. Fort Wayne Carroll
Crown Point's Mia Depta and McKayla Henry get excited as the Bulldogs start to pull away in the fourth quarter against Fort Wayne Carroll in the 4A semistate at LaPorte on Saturday.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methodist Southlake Campus
Region residents visit Methodist Hospitals Southlake campus Wednesday for the Covid 19 vaccine.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methodist Southlake Campus
Jamie Livington, center, an x-ray technican at Methodist Southlake waits to check-in for her Covid-19 vaccine Wednesday at Methodist Hospitals Southlake campus.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methodist Southlake Campus
Syringes with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine are ready to be given to Region residents at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus.
Covid 19 vaccinations, Methodist Southlake Campus
Jamie Livingston, an x-ray technician at Methodist Hospital gets the Covid 19 vaccine Wednesday from Michele Billings, a rwegistered nurse at Methodist Hospitals Southlake campus.
Munster boys swimming sectionals
Munster’s Fenry Zhou swims the butterfly stroke in the second heat of the 200 medley relay Saturday as Munster hosts one of the local boys swimming sectionals. Munster won this event with a time of 1:34.23.
Munster boys swimming sectionals
Munster’s Kenneth Reed leaves the starting blocks along with others in the second heat of the 200 freestyle relay Saturday during the Munster boys swimming sectionals.
Munster boys swimming sectionals
Munster’s Fenry Zhou swims to a win in the second heat of the 100 breaststroke Saturday during the Munster boys swimming sectionals.
Munster boys swimming sectionals
Munster’s Kenneth Reed, right, celebrates with other swimmers Saturday as Munster hosts the boys swimming sectionals.
Vaccinations at Marian Education Center vaccine clinic
Merrillville resident Bob Overland receives his COVID shot from nurse Tambi Kieta at the Marian Education Center vaccine clinic at Franciscan Health in Crown Point.
Vaccinations at Marian Education Center vaccine clinic
Nurse Dawn Fleming administers a COVID shot to Crown Point resident Ruth Ashcraft at the Marian Education Center vaccine clinic at Franciscan Health in Crown Point.
Vaccinations at Marian Education Center vaccine clinic
Nurse Dawn Fleming administers a COVID shot to Crown Point Roy Dominguez Thursday at the Marian Education Center vaccine clinic at Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point.
Vaccinations at Marian Education Center vaccine clinic
A steady flow of area residents make their way to the COVID shot clinic at the Marian Education Center at Franciscan Health in Crown Point.
Hammond vs Chesterton boys basketball
Chesterton's Tyler Vanderwoude takes a shot under the basket against Hammond on Saturday.
Hammond vs Chesterton boys basketball
Hammond's Julius Byrd and Chesterton's Justin Sims go after a loose ball.
Hammond vs Chesterton boys basketball
Hammond's Jordan Woods comes in for a slam dunk.
Last basketball game at Hammond High
Hammond fans pose for photos with the Hammond High Wildcat mascot. This was the final game in this gym.
Valentine's Day at White Castle
Debbie Beishuizen, employee at White Castle in Merrillville, takes down an order for Butch and Rebecca Waugaman, Paul Hohos and Kristy Hudi on Sunday. White Castle's annual Valentine's Day tradition was modified for the COVID-19 pandemic as workers took orders and brought out food to cars in reserved spots.
Valentine's Day at White Castle
Rikki Canter, White Castle employee, right, helps bring out the food order for Kristy Hudi, Paul Hohos and Butch and Rebecca Waugaman on Sunday in Merrillville. The couples' tradition is to visit White Castle on Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day at White Castle
Couples Paul Hohos and Kristy Hudi and Butch and Rebecca Waugaman pass around their food items on Sunday as they take part in modified Valentine's Day dining plans at White Castle in Merrillville. Workers took orders and brought food out to parked cars in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valentine's Day at White Castle
White Castle workers circulate between different vehicles on Sunday. The franchise modified its annual Valentine's Day plans by having workers take meal orders and bring out food to parked vehicles.
Wrestling state finals
Crown Point's Jesse Mendez makes "three" signs with his fingers after earning his third straight wrestling state championship on Saturday in Indianapolis. Mendez pinned Bloomington South's Delaney Ruhlman for the win.
Wrestling state finals
LaPorte's Ashton Jackson points to the Slicers fans after winning the 106-pound title over Cathedral's Evan Dickey during wrestling state finals on Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Wrestling state finals
Chesterton's Sergio Lemley, left, controls Crown Point's Logan Frazier during the 120-pound title match Saturday at the IHSAA state finals in Indianapolis. Lemley won the crown.
Wrestling state finals
Chesterton's Sergio Lemley, left, locks arms with Crown Point's Logan Frazier in the 120-pound title match during wrestling state finals on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Girl Scout troop holds a drive-thru cookie booth
Atop a snow mound, local Girl Scouts hold signs to drum up business for Girl Scout cookies from motorists.
Girl Scout troop holds a drive-thru cookie booth
Girl Scouts Zoey Buczek, left, and Rosie Saco, both 8, prepare a cookie order for a customer Saturday.
Girl Scout troop holds a drive-thru cookie booth
A local Girl Scout troop opens an outside cookie booth in Crown Point Saturday.
Girl Scout troop holds a drive-thru cookie booth
Nine-year-old Autumn Krygowski drinks hot chocolate while helping her Girls Scout troop sell cookies.
Wrestling state finals - consolations
Chesterton's Gavin Layman, above, wrestles against Monroe Central's Hunter Page in the 3rd place 182-pound consolation match on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Wrestling state finals - consolations
Chesterton's Ethan Kaiser, right, wrestles against Western's Hayden Shepherd in the 5th place 145-pound consolation match on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Wrestling state finals - consolations
Kankakee Valley's Aiden Sneed, bottom, is held down by Penn's Pate Eastin in the 7th place 170-pound consolation match on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Wrestling state finals - consolations
Crown Point's Orlando Cruz, right, wrestles against Warren Central's Tyler Jones in the 160-pound 5th place consolation match on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Gallery
Dan Carden
Chief Political Reporter
Dan has reported on Indiana state government for The Times since 2009. He also covers casinos, campaigns and corruption.
