Charges are pending against a person of interest after two people were killed and three others were hurt in a mass shooting at a bar early Sunday morning in Hammond, Indiana.

Hammond police said around 4 a.m., officers responded to a report of shots fired at Portside Pub, located at 1516 Indianapolis Blvd.

Upon arrival, they found the door riddled with bullets, and inside, five people who had been shot. Two died at the scene.

Three others were taken to a local hospital. Police said two were in serious condition and one in unknown condition, but stabilized. The ages of the victims were not released.

Hammond police said a person of interest was taken into custody shortly after the shooting, and said his name will be released when charges are filed.  

"To me personally, and I'm going to say it, this was an act of a coward," said Johnny Jernigan.

Jernigan felt nothing but pain Sunday, after finding out two of his friends died in the mass shooting.

"You shot through a door. Anybody could have got hit," he said. "It was an act of a coward. I don't know what the intentions, what the motives was, but I lost two people — two friends."

Angelica Negron-Jernigan was also a friend of the victims.

"You can see the bullet holes on the door, the trace of blood," she said. "It's just so disheartening."

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said police were simply trying to defuse a domestic situation.

"Two people lost their lives last night, and they shouldn't have lost their lives," said McDermott. "They were good Samaritans, quite frankly, and that's sad."

Police said the shooting appears to be related to a domestic incident. McDermott said it all started in the parking lot next door to the bar.

"Alcohol — it was a domestic situation," said Mayor McDermott. "Too many guns, a bar open too late — it's a recipe for disaster."

One of the victims was identified as Lorraine Reyna, 58. The names and ages of the other victims have not yet been released.   

Reyna had a motherly instinct, according to her sister, who did not want to be on camera. Reyna's sister was not surprised she tried to ease the situation.

"They would do anything for anybody," said Jernigan. "Lori cared about people more than she cared about herself. She would extend her hand out to anybody that needed her help."

McDermott earlier said authorities had a good idea of who was behind the shooting.

"This person has no idea," he said. "We knew who this was within a short period of time."

McDermott also said the bar where the shooting happened was supposed to be closed when the deadly shooting happened, and it was against the law for the bar to be open. He said this matter will be handled on Monday.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Hammond Police Detective Lt. Marc Ferry at 219-852-2906.at 219-852-2906.