A Brinks armored car guard shot an alleged robber who grabbed his money bag and fled in the heart of the city’s Loop late Wednesday morning, Chicago police said.
The shooting caused a Chicago Public Schools Board of Education meeting to be placed on soft lockdown.
According to a Chicago police statement, the shooting unfolded at 11:19 a.m., when a security guard was exiting a business in the first block of South State Street when they were “approached by an offender who attempted to forcefully take property.”
A struggle ensued, at which time the security guard produced a firearm and fired shots, striking the alleged robber, who fled the scene with proceeds but was taken into custody a short time later, police said in the statement.
He suffered gunshot wounds to his body and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where his condition had stabilized, police said.
No one else was injured and charges were pending, police said.
Paramedics responded sometime after 11 a.m. and found a man shot, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Merritt. His condition was not given by Merritt.
“(911) Caller heard five gunshots in the area,” a dispatcher announced over the air on the police scanner as the situation began.
A responding 1st District officer told the dispatcher a Brinks security officer began shooting after the alleged robber started punching the officer in the face and he “took a bag with money.”
The officer said the shooting happened in front of Saks OFF 5TH at 6 S. State St.
A few minutes later, the dispatcher came over the air again saying that she was getting “multiple calls” of a person shot at the Blue Line, the mezzanine level, at Washington and Madison.
An officer on that scene confirmed there was a male shot in the arm. “Roll an ambulance,” the officer said.
The shooting was affecting service to several CTA bus routes and the Blue Line, which is bypassing the Washington station.
The #6 Jackson Park Express, #29 State, #62 Archer , #36 Broadway, buses are temporarily rerouted in both directions near State/Madison due to police activity near State/Madison.
Additionally, #146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Express , #147 Outer DuSable Lake Shore Express buses have also been rerouted away from the shooting area, according to a CTA alert.
At the scene about 1:30 p.m., police tape sectioned off State Street between Madison and Monroe Streets. More tape blocked off the entrance to CPS headquarters, 42 W. Madison St., where a Brinks bag lie on the sidewalk near blood stains.
Tyler W. and another man were sitting on a sidewalk outside Target, 1 S. State St., and drawing on sketchbooks when they heard “a loud noise, what we thought was a tire blowing up or something.”
“And then about maybe 30-45 seconds later, we heard two more gunshots and that was it,” Tyler W., 41, who declined to give his last name, said.
He and the other man immediately “dropped” to the ground for cover. Although they were facing the Brinks truck from across the street, they never saw a shooter or the alleged robber, he said.
“We didn’t see him running or anything like that. We just heard the loud noise and then dropped,” he said.
Sherry Kinigbe, 38, of Rogers Park, was walking in the area with her teenage daughter and was shocked to overhear that a shooting had occurred.
“I think it’s terrible,” Kinigbe said. “In broad daylight, it’s terrible. I mean, people are coming down here to work, shop, etc. It’s terrible.”
Kinigbe said she used to take her daughter downtown “on a weekly basis, maybe twice.” Now, she’s “barely” downtown with her daughter because “things have definitely changed” and she fears more for their safety.
“It’s nice, it’s beautiful, it’s just the negative people that come down,” Kinigbe said of the Loop.
This is a developing story, check back for details.