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Gunman Kills Five Women In Chicago Store
The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 2-3-2008 | Tim Shipman

Posted on 02/02/2008 7:46:53 PM PST by blam

Gunman kills five women in Chicago store

By Tim Shipman in Chicago
Last Updated: 2:36am GMT 03/02/2008

Five people were shot dead at a women's clothing store in a Chicago suburb on Saturday.

Police evacuated the mall and sealed off the car park after at least five shots were fired

The victims, all women, were killed inside the Lane Bryant store at Brookside Marketplace shopping centre at Tinley Park, south of Chicago.

Police evacuated the mall and sealed off the car park after at least five shots were fired shortly before noon.

It is thought that the shooting occurred after a robbery went wrong and there were reports that the raider had taken some of the victims hostage in the plus-sized clothing store.

Police said that security cameras in the store had allowed them to tentatively identify the man, who is understood to have a history of armed robbery and a murder conviction.

The killer fled the scene after the shooting. A police dogs unit and helicopter were last night working to track down the suspect.

Armed officers also searched neighbouring stores in the area and cars in the parking lot.

Tinley Park Police Sgt TJ Grady said that they were looking for a 5ft 8in tall black man, weighing between 16 and 20 stone and wearing a waist-length black coat, a black knit cap, dark jeans and with braids in his hair.

One victim was was taken to the nearby St James Hospital and Health Care Centres for treatment to gunshot wounds but died later.

Sgt Grady said: "Responding units entered the store and found multiple victims that had been shot and killed.

"No motive has been established. Every store was immediately canvassed and a search by air, too, has given us every indication that the offender has left the scene."

Shoppers said that they were baffled by the motive behind the shooting as it had happened relatively early in the day, about 10.45, while shops would have had quite small amounts of money in their cash registers.

Residents of the predominantly white community of Tinley Park, which describes itself as Chicago's "fastest growing suburb" and has a population of about 58,000, said that they that were shocked by the shooting.

According to FBI crime statistics there was not a single murder in Tinley Park in 2007.

The other violent crime statistics are also low - four sexual assaults, 15 robberies and 38 assaults.

Greg Grace, from nearby Frankfort, who was in the parking lot outside Lane Bryant, said that he saw several stretchers being wheeled into the store. The stretchers were later wheeled out - carrying no wounded survivors.

The mayor, Edward Zabrocki, went to the scene and - looking very shaken - said: "We're very sad about this. We're a victim of our society that we live in."

One witness at the scene described how police officers responded quickly to news of the shootings and hunted the gunman through other stores on the strip mall, with guns drawn and sniffer dogs in tow.

Another witness, Tracy Caccavella, said that she was in a nearby PetSmart store when police burst in with their guns drawn. She said that the officers ordered the store's staff not to let in any more customers before conducting a 20-minute search.

The multiple killing comes a month after nine people died in a shooting at a shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska.

Nineteen-year-old Robert Hawkins killed eight people, wounded four, then shot himself at the Westroads Mall on December 5 last year.

It was the deadliest shooting in Nebraska since the rampage of Charles Starkweather, who killed 11 people in 1958.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: banglist; chicago; fivekilled; gunfreezone; gunman; store; tinleypark
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To: spunkets

Condolences.


141 posted on 02/04/2008 11:31:42 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
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To: Travis McGee
Thanks.

L

142 posted on 02/04/2008 11:32:22 AM PST by Lurker (Pimping my blog: http://lurkerslair-lurker.blogspot.com/)
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To: dragnet2
Probably a good bet, if there was one survivor, she was the one that interrupted the robbery and was able to escape. Just guessing.

The survivor was a store employee.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/775862,survive020408.article

And now, as many of of have suspected, they are linking the killer to one of the victims.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/02/04/2008-02-04_one_of_five_women_in_illinois_bloodbath_.html

143 posted on 02/04/2008 11:34:53 AM PST by Mad-Margaret (Remember I'm a kook, scammer, or troll the next time you want money.)
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To: Tall_Texan

“It goesto motive”.
It looks like an obvious hate crime to me. Oh wait. I forgot. Only Whites can commit hate crimes. cancel that remark!


144 posted on 02/04/2008 11:55:10 AM PST by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
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To: Mad-Margaret
And now, as many of of have suspected, they are linking the killer to one of the victims.

Makes sense.

A typical robbery generally doesn't involve multiple murders. Especially one of this type where the amount of cash on hand would not be large.

If there is a connection between one of the victims and the suspect, they already know who the suspect is, and probably have known the ID of the suspect since day one.

145 posted on 02/04/2008 12:32:46 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: spunkets

“The fact he ordered them into the back meant he was going to kill them absolutely.”

Really? There have been tons of crime scenes where the customers or proprietors were taken to a back room, or bank safe, so that the criminal(s) could escape.


” The reason for taking them into hte back was so the shots wouldn’t be noticed.”

Guns are pretty loud, even in ‘the back’. I doubt there would be less chance the shots wouldn’t be noticed.

It is likely the bodies would have been. However, the absence of anyone in an ‘open’ store is kinda a big clue too.

Weren’t all the customers in the store ‘women’?
Isn’t it true that none of them were ‘armed’?

I’m just saying that all this “THEY SHOULD HAVE....”
and “I WOULD HAVE....” is just a bunch of chest-puffing and has absolutely nothing to do with this story.


146 posted on 02/04/2008 12:35:53 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: El Gato

“Shoot first?”

Let’s say this wasn’t in Ill., but in a CCW state.

You and your wife are in Lane Bryant’s.

The criminal grabs your wife by the hair, sees you reach for your gun, and threatens to make a clear path from one ear to the other if you don’t put your gun down, and move to the ‘back room’.

Now what?


147 posted on 02/04/2008 12:39:48 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: basil

I heard it on Fox News.


148 posted on 02/04/2008 12:45:01 PM PST by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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To: wardaddy

“it’s a different cat from psycho Charlie....more like Drooges”

Malchiks, or malificents.

Lack of skills from the ole P and M.

Right, right?


149 posted on 02/04/2008 12:45:10 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: Admin Moderator

How does one get to BE a moderator?


150 posted on 02/04/2008 12:48:28 PM PST by my_pointy_head_is_sharp (Liberals, at heart, are totalitarians - knocking down our freedoms right and left.)
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To: Mad-Margaret

And now, as many of of have suspected, they are linking the killer to one of the victims.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2008/02/04/2008-02-04_one_of_five_women_in_illinois_bloodbath_.html

The body of the article you linked doesn't match the headline. Not your fault of course.

The headline screams 'linked' when the article says 'may have'. Meaning they don't know.

151 posted on 02/04/2008 12:53:18 PM PST by Aaron0617
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To: Aaron0617
Meaning they don't know.

But the fact remains, a typical robbery generally doesn't involve multiple murders. Especially one of this type where the amount of cash on hand would not be large.

If there is a connection between one of the victims and the suspect, they already know who the suspect is, and probably have known the ID of the suspect since day one.

I have suspected since day one that there was some kind of connection between a victim and the suspect due to the brutality...It seemed very personal.

Either that, or the suspect just a twisted, violent druggie, with a real bad habit.

My bet is there is a connection somewhere.

152 posted on 02/04/2008 1:02:53 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: Mad-Margaret
I'll bet one of those women -- most likely the employee -- knew the killer.

That was my first thought. The first victim identified worked as a grief counselor (or something similar) with gang members in the area according to Fox.

153 posted on 02/04/2008 1:12:02 PM PST by mombonn (God is looking for spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.)
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To: Aaron0617

Yeah, Aaron, I caught how the headline said “linked” and the article said “may.”

There has been so much conflicting information about this massacre. I admit that I’ve never bought the robbery theory. Who would rob a Lane Bryant in Tinley Park shortly after the store opens on a Saturday morning? The pickings aren’t going to be very good! I’ve been saying since this story broke that one of the victims knew the killer. That’s the only thing that makes any sense.

The first reports — including the subject of this thread — said there was a security camera and that the killer was a convicted felon. “Police said that security cameras in the store had allowed them to tentatively identify the man, who is understood to have a history of armed robbery and a murder conviction.” Initial reports also said that there were four dead and one wounded.

Now police are saying that the investigation is “sensitive” and “confidential.” I think they know who did it. More than 48 hours have past, there’s a survivor, and we’ve yet to get more than a vague description of the killer. Where’s the composite sketch? Why the secrecy when a killer is at large?

Sorry if I sound so frustrated.


154 posted on 02/04/2008 1:20:38 PM PST by Mad-Margaret (Remember I'm a kook, scammer, or troll the next time you want money.)
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To: Mad-Margaret

Press conference coming up shortly. Dunno if Fox will carry it.


155 posted on 02/04/2008 1:42:12 PM PST by mombonn (God is looking for spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.)
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To: mombonn

Thanks! I’ve got Fox on.


156 posted on 02/04/2008 1:49:39 PM PST by Mad-Margaret (Remember I'm a kook, scammer, or troll the next time you want money.)
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To: mombonn

The NC was short. I caught it on the NBC Chicago live feed.

No composite sketch yet, but there are more details about the killer’s description. He’s black with a light complexion, braided hair most of which was pulled under his knit cap, there was one braid hanging over his cheek, beads in the braids, receding hairline, 25 - 35 years old, 5’8”-10”, 230-260 pounds, wearing black jeans with a rhinestone decoration on the back (I’d heard that before), no facial hair, and well groomed (whatever that means). That’s all I could get.

Reporters sounded frustrated in their questions with the little bits of information being released. All further news conferences will be held at 11 am unless there’s further notice.


157 posted on 02/04/2008 2:12:30 PM PST by Mad-Margaret (Remember I'm a kook, scammer, or troll the next time you want money.)
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To: wardaddy; Lurker; Travis McGee; hiredhand

Recently went to a little training school the employer puts us thru now and then and was enlightened as too the marvels of all things 357SIG, 125gr GDHP.......... I got back , put my beloved 1911A1 in the safe and have since carried either my Glock 31, a SIG 229 or my little SIG 239.

After a few thousand rounds out of the 229 and the glock I am sold. The SIG 239 IMHO is too small of a handgun for the 357SIG’s recoil. Recoil doesn’t bother me but it is just too violent IMO and experience to get a double tap out of it accurately. The Glock 31 or the SIG 229 are IMHO a perfect combination for CHL / CCW with the 357SIG round.

My CHL /CCW rig has evolved from a 1911A1 w/ one spare wilson rogers 8 round magazine to 3 spare mags for my Glock or SIG.

All due current event’s, current threats and the willingness of criminals to wade thru a crowd with no mercy these days be they children, elderly or women........I hope to never have to witness such if the criminal allows me to get a first hand look at his intent, opportunity and capability.

Never shoot too kill, shoot to save lives and stop the threat !

Stay safe !


158 posted on 02/04/2008 3:34:43 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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To: Squantos
All of that would be wonderfully useful information if the FU***** STATE OF ILLINOIS DIDN'T VIOLATE IT'S CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO ARM THEMSELVES against criminal vermin like this.

Doom on 'em as you would say.

I have no respect for laws which have no respect for me.

My 'carry rig' has to be a good deal more circumspect. Under IL law I'm permitted to have a firearm on my person so long as it is unloaded and completely enclosed in a case.

So for now it's a Charter Arms BD with 2 speed loaders. All of that goes into a small utility pouch I carry around with me. The revolver has a pocket and the loader has a pocket. I can draw, load, and make ready to fire in less than 3 seconds. Not ideal, but a good deal better than nothing.

Once the Self Defense Fund is replenished it'll be a small auto-loader in 9mm or .40 cal., preferably a pair of them. One for me and one for the Mrs. But they've got to be small and cheap because chances are if I get caught with it law be damned I'll never see them again. Or I'll have to wage an expensive court fight to recover or property.

So I'm thinking of picking up a cheap little Kel-Tec for this purpose. It'll be faster to load than the wheelgun although it won't pack as much punch.

But F' these IL pols. I'll happily crawl right up to the ragged edge of their stupid laws rather than be defenseless against armed scum like the one who committed these crimes.

L

159 posted on 02/04/2008 4:08:19 PM PST by Lurker (Pimping my blog: http://lurkerslair-lurker.blogspot.com/)
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To: Lurker

Mccain and Hillary are gonna do too us what Ill-Noise did too you my friend........when it looks like Hillary is gonna lose. Scummier will drop his load in congress and a ban will be permanent IMO.

Glad yer working thru the BS laws and still at least armed.

Stay Safe, Stay Tuned and as usual .....Doom on em !....:o)


160 posted on 02/04/2008 4:21:52 PM PST by Squantos (Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet. ©)
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