Oakland Homicide Suspect's Amtrak Escape Attempt Ends In Fatal Chicago Gunfight
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- An Oakland homicide suspect's getaway attempt on a cross-country Amtrak train ended with his death in an exchange of gunfire with transit police inside Chicago's Union Station, authorities said Friday.
Oakland police PIO Officer Johnna Watson said 33-year-old Jamal Taylor was wanted in connection with the August 20th slaying of 55-year-old Robert Herron.
Officers responded to a shooting call at 9:20 a.m. in the 8800 block of International Boulevard. Arriving officers discovered Herron suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. He was declared dead at the scene. Police said the gunman fled and remained at large.
The investigation identified Taylor as the murder suspect and a warrant for his arrest was issued on Aug. 24th. Amtrak police said they were notified that Taylor could be a passenger on an Amtrak train arriving at Chicago's Union Station from Oakland later that evening.
Chicago Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told CBS Chicago that Taylor did not expect to see police officers waiting for him when the train pulled into Union Station.
When the train -- the California Zephyr -- pulled up to Track 30, he did not surrender.
"The suspect ran from uniformed officers – injuring an Amtrak employee – and subsequently opened fire on Amtrak police officers," Magliari said.
An Amtrak officer returned fire, wounding Taylor. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he died of his wounds.
The shooting in busy station also left travelers in shock. Those on the train told CBS 2's Chris Tye that Amtrak never explained to passengers the magnitude of what was going on.
"Nobody never said nothing. They still haven't said nothing," said Chris Harris, who had been traveling from California on the train with his daughter and sister.
The Union Station officer-involved shooting was being investigated by Chicago police.