Man charged with attempted murder in Halloween party mass shooting on Chicago's West Side
CHICAGO (CBS)-- A man was charged with attempted first-degree murder in a mass shooting that left 15 people wounded on Sunday at a Halloween party in North Lawndale.
On Tuesday, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx announced charges for William Groves, 48, who is facing 15 felony counts of attempted murder, 15 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm.
"He's a convicted felon who should not have had a gun," CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling said.
Police said Groves got angry after being kicked out of a Halloween Party while visibly drunk at Studio 1258 in North Lawndale, and then returned with a gun and started shooting just after 1 a.m. on Sunday – as the attendees ran for their lives.
Groves was rejected entry at the door following the DJ's announcement the party was coming to an end, authorities said.
CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported the mayor, state's attorney, and even a congressman showed up to share how the community helped them arrest the suspect.
"Those in my community and my faith community have been impacted for a very long time by the recklessness of those who choose to create harm and fear," said Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Ald. Monique Scott (24th) called Grove's arrest a "victory" amid the trauma.
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said they were able to make this arrest so quickly because the community and the survivors who were at this party spoke up and worked with police.
"In the immediate aftermath of this, the residents of Lawndale; the people who were at the party, spoke. They sat down with our law enforcement partners and came in and spoke to the State's Attorney's office expeditiously. Every piece of evidence that could be gathered from them – from those who were on site – they were willing to share."
This often does not happen, Foxx said.
"People are afraid to speak up. Usually, it might take days or weeks for someone to say they've seen something. In the immediate aftermath of this, the residents of Lawndale, the people who were at this party spoke up," Foxx said.
"It also speaks to communities who are sick and tired to dealing with this; sick and tired of the violence," added Snelling.
Police said a Groves was captured a short distance away from the shooting and placed into custody. A handgun was also recovered.
Groves will be held in custody until his next court date next month.
"We may never understand what leads anybody to shoot into a crowd and harm fellow human beings," said Ald. Scott.
The State's Attorney's office said this was not the first time he armed himself with a gun and used it to hurt people.
Groves' first arrest came when he was just 19 years old. Since then, his rap sheet has grown to 12 pages long – and includes battery with a gun in 2001 and 2006, an armed carjacking in 2004, and an armed robbery and carjacking in 2006.
CBS 2 has also confirmed Groves was employed as a Chicago Transit Authority bus service apprentice – working on a garage to clean vehicles. He has since been removed from active service.
Of the 15 people shot in the incident, none have life-threatening injuries.
Meanwhile Monday morning, police issued a summary closure order for Studio 1258, at 1258 S. Pulaski Rd., which was hosting a Halloween party at the time of the shooting.
In 2021, the city issued several building code violations for operating the building as an "unlicensed party venue," for not having fire extinguishers or smoke detectors on the 1st or 2nd floors, and for performing work on a gut rehab without obtaining a permit or submitting proper plans from an architect or structural engineer.
This past May, the city also issued cease-and-desist orders for operating without a public place of amusement license and operating without a liquor license.
Investigators are also looking into whether the promoters or the building owners could also be facing criminal charges
Meantime, assistance is being offered by the Victim Assistance Center at 1241 S. Pulaski Rd. Crime victim advocates are on site to provide resources and support to victims.