Victims identified in shooting at hotel near South Bend Airport; police searching for suspect

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - The South Bend Police Department has released the names of the two men who were shot and killed in the parking lot of a hotel near the South Bend International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The victims have been identified as 20-year old Amarion Kirk and 22-year-old Jasani Taylor.

Officers were called just before 2 p.m. to the Quality Inn & Suites at 4124 Lincoln Way West. When they arrived, they found Kirk and Taylor in the parking lot with gunshot wounds.

Police are currently looking for a suspect who was reportedly last seen running from the area.

“We have just a general description right now, and that’s why officers in the area are searching for the possible suspect,” said South Bend Police Division Chief Tim Lancaster. “Since it happened here in the hotel lot, we’re trying to determine exactly where the suspect responsible may have... what direction of travel, or where he may have went.”

The Quality Inn & Suites has been evacuated as part of the investigation. However, police did say there does not appear to be any threat to the public at this time. Rather, it appears the shooting was the result of a dispute between the suspect and the victims.

“There’s a lot of moving parts to all this, but I can tell you we’ll be relentless, and we’ll do our job and we’ll get justice where it’s deserved,” said South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski.

When our crew arrived on scene, there were police cars throughout the surrounding neighborhoods, clearly looking for the suspected gunman.

On that front, police say they are optimistic about ultimately identifying the suspect because this crime happened in a hotel parking lot that is surrounded with cameras.

The SBPD violent crimes unit has taken over the investigation, the victims autopsies have been scheduled for October 21st.

WATCH: Chief Ruszkowski gives live update on double shooting investigation:

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