CHICAGO — A brazen burglary along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile spiraled into deadly chaos early Thursday morning, leaving one man dead and several suspects injured after a series of crashes and police chases that stretched across downtown.
Smash-and-Grab at Walton Street
According to Chicago Police, the crime spree began when a group of unknown offenders used a pickup truck to ram into a retail business in the 100 block of East Walton Street just before 5 a.m. The offenders stormed the store, grabbed merchandise, and fled in multiple vehicles, abandoning the truck at the scene.
Fatal Collision on Michigan Avenue
Minutes later, one of the fleeing vehicles — a Kia Stinger — raced southbound down Michigan Avenue. At Ohio Street, it slammed into an unrelated Honda CR-V traveling eastbound.
The Honda’s driver, described as a man in his 40s, suffered critical injuries. He was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities have not yet released his name, pending family notification.
The five suspects inside the Kia were all hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say they were taken into custody and stolen merchandise was recovered from the vehicle.
Infiniti Crash and Foot Pursuit
Meanwhile, another getaway car — an Infiniti Q50 — fled southbound on Lake Shore Drive. Officers saw the vehicle lose control, prompting four offenders to flee on foot. Police arrested two of them nearby. Additional stolen goods were recovered from the Infiniti.
Investigators Continue to Piece Together Events
The Major Accident Investigation Unit and Area Detectives remain on scene as the investigation continues. At least seven suspects are in custody across both incidents, though police have not confirmed the total number of individuals involved.
The deadly crash comes amid ongoing concerns about smash-and-grab burglaries across Chicago’s downtown corridor, particularly in the high-end retail district along the Magnificent Mile.
“This is heartbreaking,” said one resident walking near the scene Thursday morning. “People are losing their lives because of reckless crime. It has to stop.”
Police say charges are pending, and additional suspects may still be at large.
Leave a Reply