Police descended on Navy Pier on Tuesday afternoon trying to find a “disgruntled” ex-employee who shot and killed two males — leaving frantic guests scrambling for security in bogs and automobiles.
Regulation enforcement officers at a information briefing exterior Navy Pier stated they know who they’re searching for, however as of 4:15 p.m., the assailant had not been arrested.
Investigators are trying to find the gunman, who’s a former worker of a subcontractor on the pier who was fired Oct. 14, CPD Chief of Patrol Jon Hein stated on the information briefing, including that investigators imagine they are going to have him in custody “quickly.” Officers didn’t identify the corporate the place he labored.
Brian Murphy, chief working officer of Navy Pier, stated the taking pictures was “focused,” and the broader public was not in peril.
“At no time did we really feel like anyone from the general public was in peril, that this was extra of a focused problem that occurred immediately at Navy Pier,” Murphy stated.
It was about 1:30 p.m. when paramedics have been referred to as to the pier, at 600 E. Grand Ave., the place they discovered the 2 wounded males exterior, Chicago Hearth Division spokesperson Larry Langford stated.
Each have been taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in essential situation, together with one who was in “very essential” situation, Langford stated.
A safety guard discovered the victims in a loading dock space, in response to scanner site visitors. There have been shell casings surrounding them.
With eating places, cultural choices and its well-known Ferris Wheel, Navy Pier is historically ranked as certainly one of Illinois’ prime vacationer sights. The state’s tourism division, calls it “a civic landmark and one of many top-visited leisure and cultural locations on this planet.”
However guests discovered a unique ambiance Tuesday.
Dozens of squad automobiles raced to the world, and officers — together with some with computerized weapons — have been seen patrolling the world. A tactical workforce carrying bulletproof vests and carrying rifles was seen canvassing an space with dumpsters earlier than getting into a storage.
The pier was placed on lockdown, and nobody was allowed to enter or exit for a few hours. Individuals contained in the pier have been advised to shelter in place.
Scanner site visitors indicated police have been searching for a person who was carrying a white chef’s hat, a white chef’s jacket and black pants who walked again into Navy Pier after the taking pictures. Dispatchers stated that as of 1:21 p.m. he was seen on video however had presumably become a black North Face sweater, white or beige pants and was carrying a black beanie.
A witness driving via the pier’s parking storage noticed a number of officers, at the very least one with a gun drawn, trying into automobiles.
A number of officers blocked the doorway to the parking storage space. Shortly after 2 p.m., officers advised staffers on the Chicago Solar-Occasions, which has places of work inside Navy Pier, to not enable anybody in or out till additional discover.
Some Navy Pier workers took shelter of their automobiles, whereas others hid in a rest room close to one of many ballrooms, in response to scanner site visitors.
Stephanie Knowles was behind the money register at memento store Oh Sure! Chicago when her supervisor bought a name and stated “we bought to start out closing all the things down.”
They turned off all of the lights and the one buyer who was within the retailer on the time was escorted out by police, she stated. Staff hid behind the storage room till they bought the all clear.
“I used to be just a little nervous, you understand, when you concentrate on the highschool shootings I’ve by no means needed to stay via that, so this was the closest factor that I’ve needed to that have,” Knowles stated.
However she says she was capable of overcome that nervousness because of her fellow coworkers, whom she stated are like household, although she’s solely been working on the retailer for the reason that summer time. “We sort of saved one another calm,” she stated.
Benjamin Scott, who lives in Logan Sq., stated he went to Navy Pier to loosen up after getting off work.
“I used to be having fun with myself listening to music,” he stated.
Scott noticed a bunch of law enforcement officials arrive, so he left and was standing close to the bus terminal when officers surrounded him, weapons drawn. Scott was carrying some clothes that matched one of many suspects, he stated.
However Scott stated he cooperated with police, and so they quickly let him go.
“It’s actually scary,” Scott stated of the taking pictures.
Jacoyah Harrison, 30, of Calumet Metropolis, was on the Pier along with her mother to get pleasure from their break day and have a good time Harrison’s upcoming birthday.
They have been contained in the Flyover when the present was halted.
“We have been in the course of it, after which we needed to evacuate,” she stated. Then “we have been greeted by machine weapons,” her mother stated, referring the police offficers with what seemed to be computerized weapons.
Jessica Foster was visiting from Kansas Metropolis. She was strolling exterior and noticed a commotion close to some dumpsters.
“I used to be taking footage. It was so windy,” she stated.
Foster didn’t notice what was happening till she discovered there was a taking pictures and an officer stated she wanted to depart the world.
“It was terrifying,” Foster stated.
