At least four people have been killed and two more injured after a gunman went on a shooting spree across Illinois before being shot dead by police.
Among the fatal victims killed in the shooting spree in Chicago and Evanston include a security guard at an apartment complex and a student at the University of Chicago.
A woman who was reportedly taken hostage at an IHOP restaurant in Evanston by the suspect was also shot in the head and killed on Saturday, as well as a 20-year-old man.
A 15-year-old girl and a 81-year-old woman also sustained critical injuries in what Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown told a press conference were random attacks.
Chicago Police Department identified the suspect as 32-year-old Jason Nightengale. He was shot and killed by Evanston police officers in the 1200 block of Howard Street soon after killing the woman at the IHOP restaurant.
Nightengale is also accused of returning to one crime scene later that day to fire at officers investigating one of the shootings.
Police said the rampage began at around 1 p.m. in the Kenwood neighborhood. Nightengale is alleged to have shot a 30-year-old male victim in the head after entering the parking garage of the Regent Park apartment complex in the 5300 block of S. East End Avenue. It was later confirmed the first victim was a student at UoC.
“It was with great sadness that we informed our community tonight that a current student of the University was shot and killed,” the university said in a statement.
“This is deeply painful news for our community and South Side neighborhood, and we will provide support to those affected.”
Shortly afterwards, the suspect entered an apartment building in the 4900 block of S. East End Avenue and asked to use the phone before opening fire and striking two women.
One of the victims is said to be a security guard at the desk for the building, while the other was a 77-year-old woman who was retrieving her mail. The security guard was killed, while the elderly victim is in a critical condition, Brown said.
At around 2:45 p.m, Nightingale went into a building in the 5500 block of South East End Avenue in Hyde Park, where a relative of his reportedly used to live.
After taking the elevator to the 19th floor, the suspect saw a man he knew and forcibly demanded the keys to his vehicle. Nightingale then took the keys to the victim’s red Toyota and drove away.
Police said the man in the apartment complex was not shot or injured during the incident.
Nightengale then drove several miles to a store in the 9300 block of South Halsted Street and announced he is robbing it.
He allegedly fired shots and hit a 20-year-old male in the head, killing him. An 81-year-old who was also inside the store suffered gunshot wounds to the back and the neck and was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Girl, 15, shot in car
Nightengale is then alleged to have shot a 15-year-old girl while she was sitting in the backseat of a car in the nearby Fernwood neighborhood at around 5 p.m. The teenager was also taken to hospital in a critical condition.
It is here that the suspect is alleged to have returned to the scene of the robbery where he killed the 20-year-old male and fired shots at police, striking a vehicle.
“We are responding to the scene as the crimes are happening, getting information, and again he’s going to the next while we’re trying to keep up with what happened previously,” Brown said. “By the time we put it all together, he’s here in Evanston.”
At around 5:40 p.m. Evanston Police said they responded to a call about a man with a gun at a CVS store at 101 Asbury Avenue who had “accosted” a woman.
The suspect is then said to have ran across the street to the IHOP and took another woman hostage.
When officers arrived, the suspect ran across the street to an IHOP, where he shot a woman he also allegedly took hostage.
Offender’s firearm was recovered on scene. pic.twitter.com/Yx79U8ZGIU
— Evanston, IL Police (@EvanstonPD) January 10, 2021
Nightingale ran off east on Howard Street before exchanging gunfire with Evanston police near a Dollar General parking lot.
The suspect was killed during the shootout, with Evanston police later tweeting that a firearm was recovered from the scene.
Police have not suggested a motive for any of the attacks in the rampage.
“Thanks to the bravery of @EvanstonPD police officers and with the support of @Chicago_Police officers, a violent criminal and his murderous rampage was stopped,” Brown tweeted.
Evanston Police has been contacted for further comment.
