2 people shot, wounded at Navy Pier
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two people were shot and wounded at Navy Pier Tuesday afternoon, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
The victims were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, the CFD said.
People at Navy Pier were told to shelter in place after the shooting. By 3:24 p.m., the shelter-in-place order had been lifted.
"Due to an active incident under investigation, we are asking everyone to shelter in place until given the all-clear by CPD," Navy Pier said in a statement.
As of just before 2:30 p.m., the scene remained chaotic—with a large police presence on the north side of the pier where drivers enter to pull into pier garages.
Navy Pier is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Illinois, and many people were visiting the attraction from out of town when the shooting happened—despite the rain and despite it being Election Day.
Some people who were in indoor areas of Navy Pier did not hear the gunshots. But when they stepped outside and saw such a police presence, it became clear something serious had taken place.
"The police, they were just everywhere. They just came through, and they started telling people to come up out of the way, moving people around, no cars were coming through. They blocked it off," said Leena Porter, who was visiting Navy Pier on Tuesday. "It's crazy. I just hope they get whoever they were looking for."
Some visitors to Navy Pier decided to follow staffers to safety.
"We were walking, and some staff was like, 'Hey, did you all hear the news?' And we were like, 'What happened?' They were like, 'There's an active shooter,' and we're like, 'Well, where do we go?'" said Anthony Faulkner, who was visiting from Texas. "So we just kind of followed them into an office and sat down with the HR people in the hotel in the back. We kind of just sat in the room. We didn't know much. They just said there was two people shot on the loading deck, or dock, and that was it."
Trent Halasek, who was visiting from Cincinnati, Ohio, said he saw officers in full riot and SWAT gear on Navy Pier—leading him to believe the shooter might still be on the loose at the pier.
"My initial thought was that there was some protest for the election or something like that. But then I saw them get out quickly—immediately pulls out an automatic rifle, full body kit, the little SWAT shields, and got ready to go," said Halasek, "and then at that time, six, seven, eight more SUVs pulled up."
As of the most recent report, the shooter remained at large. CBS News Chicago was told the gunman was likely running around inside the Navy Pier after the shooting.
A Chicago Police helicopter and the Chicago Police Marine Unit were dispatched. It was considered possible that the shooter may have jumped in the water.
Information from police on what led up to the shooting was not immediately available.
