Navy Pier shooting: Disgruntled Levy employee shoots and kills two people in downtown Chicago, CPD says

CHICAGO (WLS) — Two men were shot to death at Navy Pier Tuesday afternoon, Chicago fire officials said.

Chicago police and firefighters responded around 1:30 p.m. to a report of shots fired into an administrative office near a loading dock in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue, police said at a news conference Tuesday.

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A male Levy employee who had been fired the month before the shots, police said.

“As the subcontractor’s former employer, he had access. He knew how to get to the loading dock,” said Brian Murphy, Chief Operating Officer at Navy Pier.

A 47-year-old man and a 51-year-old man, former colleagues of the employee, were shot in the head, police said. They were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. They later died, police said.

Their identities were not immediately released.

Navy Pier was closed for nearly an hour, but officials said the incident at the popular tourist destination was isolated in the mid-afternoon.

Chicago police provided an update on a shooting at Navy Pier on Tuesday.

“We had to shut down the whole store, shut down the whole Navy Pier. Everybody just closed down. We had customers coming in the back,” said Navy Pier employee Diamond Foster.

Police have identified a suspect who is at large.

A shelter at Navy Pier was lifted after police determined through security cameras that the gunman had left the area.

“They were talking about, ‘Okay, everyone be calm, but it’s a small threat,” said Navy Pier visitor William Wright. “Everyone really starts with a small threat. This should be Navy Pier.”

Police did not say who they were looking for, only that the shooter was a former employee of a Navy Pier subcontractor.

There was a large Chicago police response on the north side of the pier, near the parking garage. CPD officers in tactical gear were seen in the area around 2 p.m

“Automatic weapons taken out, full SWAT gear, the shields, the whole thing,” said Ohio resident Trent Halasek.

Detectives from the area are investigating.

No weapon was found and police arrived at the scene around 5 p.m

Levy released a statement saying: “We are absolutely devastated by today’s tragic events and the shocking loss of two of our family members. Our hearts break for their families and loved ones, whose lives have been changed forever.”

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