Manhunt that led to arrest of Navy Pier double homicide suspect began in South Shore
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The manhunt for the suspect in a double homicide at Navy Pier on Tuesday began at a South Shore apartment building where he apparently lives.
Police confirmed on Thursday they had apprehended a person of interest the Navy Pier shooting deaths. No charges had been filed as of Friday afternoon. The shooter is believed to be a disgruntled ex-employee, and the victims two of his former coworkers.
Police said the suspect was fired on Oct. 14 from his job at Navy Pier.
Within hours of the shooting deaths of co-workers Peter Jennings and Lamont Johnson at Navy Pier on Tuesday afternoon, Chicago police and SWAT surrounded the Shorewind The Tower Apartments, on the 2300 block of East 70th Street.
Video filmed outside the building on Tuesday night shows Chicago Police Department armored Humvees with turrets used to shield SWAT officers. Next to those vehicles, a group of officers are gathered.
"I didn't know what to think. I just saw SWAT everywhere," said a man who agreed to speak to CBS News Chicago anonymously.
The man said he was absolutely stunned to learn the suspect police were looking for in connection to two murders at Navy Pier is someone he knows. The suspect is believed to be a former co-worker of the two victims.
"I was speechless. I couldn't believe it, I almost thought they had to be making a mistake or something. Just the nicest guy," the man said. "Regular cool dude. I don't know what happened."
That man and several other people who live in Shorewind Apartments said the suspect shown in images released by Chicago police in a community alert as a "possible offender" in the Navy Pier shooting lives in the building.
CBS News Chicago also was told members of the SWAT team were on either side of the building and stayed in place from just after 2 p.m. Tuesday, less than an hour after the murders at Navy Pier, until early Wednesday morning.
Police never found him there.
Since the person in custody has not been charged yet, police said they cannot give out information about where he was taken into custody.
