Man fatally shot while fleeing gunman who then turned gun on himself in Edgewater, police say

A 42-year-old Edgewater man who was walking his dog Thursday morning was fatally shot trying to flee from a gunman who then turned the gun on himself, according to police.

Before shots rang out, the dog walker screamed, “leave me alone” to the 54-year-old alleged shooter and began trying to run away from him about 7:20 a.m. in the 1400 block of West Thome Avenue, according to police reports.

But the 54-year-old alleged shooter, of the Rogers Park neighborhood, chased him and opened fire. When the 42-year-old collapsed, the attacker “then fired additional shots” at him before turning the gun on himself, police reports said.

The unidentified 42-year-old was shot in his head and his body and was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston where he was pronounced dead. The alleged gunman, shot in his head, was taken to the same hospital where he remained in critical condition.

Six shell casings were recovered from the scene and two 9 mm guns — including one in the shooter’s waistband — were recovered, officials said.

John O’malley said he was drinking coffee in his living room when he heard “pops” and saw a woman and girl run across a nearby parking lot.

“There was a five-second, 10-second delay … then it was ‘pop, pop, pop,’” O’malley said. “Another delay, then ‘pop, pop.’”

O’malley called 911, then looked outside and down the street, where he saw two people on the ground and a weapon between them.

Several neighbors said one of the victims was walking his dog when he was shot. O’malley said the dog was “very protective,” laying on top of the person before “snapping” at police officers who arrived at the scene. Officers tied the dog to a tree while paramedics worked on the victim it was guarding.

“The dog was doing his job,” O’malley said.