According to authorities, 32-year-old Calvin Woods was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 28, 2023 shooting.

Police were called to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash at approximately 7:27 p.m. on the inbound side of the Bishop Ford near Dolton Road.

Upon arrival, troopers found two crashed vehicles. Mackie was inside one of those vehicles, and was found to have suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead, police said.

Another vehicle was also located at the scene, but there was no one inside.

After several months of investigation, agents with the Illinois State Police determined that Woods had been in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, and identified him as a suspect in the killing.

Those agents, along with assistance from the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service, took Woods into custody Thursday.

He will face multiple charges of first-degree murder in the shooting, and is expected to appear in court for a pretrial detention hearing on Sunday.

Selina Taylor and her family were driving home from a Juneteenth celebration in 2021 when a speeding Chevy Malibu ran the red at Pershing and State, hitting her vehicle.

Taylor and her 3-month-old son Sebastian Junior were killed. Taylor’s partner Sebastian Taylor and their then-12-year-old son David were severely injured.

The driver of the Malibu and a passenger fled on foot, leaving the car behind.

“These last two-and-a-half years for me have honestly been terrible,” Selina Taylor’s sister Keyona Armstrong said. “It’s taken a toll on my mental health. Sometimes I can’t – I just don’t really sleep at night because of this.”

“I’m always thinking about my sister,” she added.

Both Armstrong and Sebastian Taylor said they got no information from Chicago police – leaving them in the dark about what happened that night.

“I didn’t find out anything from police,” Armstrong said.

NBC 5 Investigates filed more than a dozen open records requests with various agencies on this case. As the months dragged on without an arrest, one of those requests was for all Chicago police reports, to see what steps they were taking – if any – to find the driver.

That request was denied, so NBC 5 Investigates filed a lawsuit, alleging CPD violated the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

“Unfortunately, this is not an unusual occurrence,” said attorney Matt Topic, who represents NBC 5 in this and several other lawsuits over FOIA violations. “The Chicago Police Department has a very bad track record of being transparent with the public and even the families of victims of crimes about what’s going on in these cases.”

“The law is structured in a way that public bodies are required to be transparent,” Topic added. “It shouldn’t require lawsuits to turn over records.”

“There’s a great number of people who’ve lost loved ones, lost children, lost parents, and I think they ought to know a lot more about why the police department can’t seem to clear these cases,” Topic said. “And part of the way to get to that, if they won’t answer your questions, is to demand records from them and that takes lawsuits.”

Of the roughly 37,000 hit-and-run crashes the city saw in 2021, Chicago police made arrests in just 95 cases, according to city data obtained and analyzed by NBC 5 Investigates. This case ultimately was a rare hit-and-run where Chicago police did find a suspect: Tevin Gray, who was indicted on two counts of reckless homicide and four counts of leaving the scene of an accident in December 2022. He has pleaded not guilty.

The indictment came nearly 18 months after the crash. But the nearly 500 pages of reports obtained by NBC 5 Investigates show CPD had several clues pointing to Gray far earlier than that, and let months go by without documenting any steps taken to solve the crime.

The crash report filled out the night of the incident lists a registered owner of the Malibu. Court records show that owner is the same woman Gray was accused of attempting to strangle in a 2018 domestic battery charge.

Six days after the crash, records show CPD searched the Malibu and found a debit card with Gray’s name on it inside the car, as well as bags of cocaine and fentanyl.

After that, the file shows no activity for more than three months. It wasn’t until October 2021 that CPD documented the next update: CPD received a DNA report identifying Gray as a match to DNA found on the steering wheel airbag of the Malibu. Investigators then requested additional testing on a gun found in the car.

Then, nothing. No updates in the file for another five months.

Meanwhile, as CPD’s investigation seemingly stalled, records show Gray was arrested in November 2021 by Rockford police on unrelated weapon and drug charges – booked in the Winnebago County Jail, where he remains today.

Still, for months, there’s no evidence in the case file that Chicago police even knew he was in custody – and no documents showing they took any steps to find him.

In March 2022, NBC 5 Investigates aired a story revealing Illinois State Police were pursuing the Malibu just before the crash – and noted the lack of an arrest.

Just nine days after that report aired, records show CPD picked up the case again for the first time in more than five months. Investigators contacted ISP and met with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. Then – more than nine months after the crash – they began to search social media for Gray, even though they found his debit card in the first week, and got a DNA match six months earlier.

left for dead Jan 22

Left for Dead: Records reveal new details on hit-and-run as Illinois State Police continue to withhold videos

left for dead Sep 1, 2023

Left for Dead: Family of teen injured in hit-and-run sues car owner, criticizing Chicago police ‘inaction'

left for dead May 19, 2023

Left For Dead: Alleged Driver in Deadly Hit-and-Run Later Accused of Shooting at Off-Duty Officer

“I don’t want my sister to be swept under no rug,” Armstrong said. “I want people to feel like, if that happens to them, ya’ll want somebody to say something too.”

Armstrong said she also asked police for years to see video of the crash captured by the surveillance camera of the Dawson Technical Institute at that intersection. NBC 5 Investigates filed an open records request for the footage with City Colleges, and when that was denied, filed another lawsuit to ultimately obtain it.

The video shows an ISP SUV arriving at the scene just 41 seconds after the crash.

ISP’s internal investigation cleared its troopers of any wrongdoing, saying the pursuit that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour was not a pursuit at all, in part because they did not activate their lights and sirens.

But after watching the video for the first time, Keyona disputed ISP’s version of events.

“I see why they don’t want me to see it,” she said. “It don’t take a rocket scientist to find out you pulled up right after this man hit my sister. You was behind him, he just was driving faster than you.”

Gray has pleaded not guilty to both the charges in connection with the crash, as well as the charges in Winnebago County, where he remains in jail on a $1 million bond.

Armstrong said, as her family continues to grieve, the lack of response from both CPD and ISP feels like a lack of accountability.

“That’s a whole human being,” she said. “What if that was your family? What if that was your baby?”

NBC 5 Investigates asked Chicago police about the gaps in time in their investigation. A CPD spokesman did not respond.

Selina Taylor and her family were coming home from a Juneteenth celebration in 2021 when their car was hit by a speeding Chevy Malibu that ran the red at Pershing and State Street. The driver fled on foot, leaving the Malibu behind.  

Selina and her 3-month-old son Sebastian Junior were killed. Her partner Sebastian Taylor and their then-12-year-old son David were severely injured.

“I’m just tired. Stressed out. Mad, angry. And it feel like ain’t nobody doing nothing about it,” said Selina’s mother Sherry Taylor.

“Somebody needs to pay for this,” she continued, through tears. “I can’t take it.”

Sebastian Taylor said for months, police wouldn’t answer his questions – leaving him in the dark about what happened that night.

left for dead Sep 1, 2023

Left for Dead: Family of teen injured in hit-and-run sues car owner, criticizing Chicago police ‘inaction'

left for dead May 19, 2023

Left For Dead: Alleged Driver in Deadly Hit-and-Run Later Accused of Shooting at Off-Duty Officer

Until NBC 5 Investigates obtained the Illinois State Police’s 500-page report on the agency’s internal investigation into the incident. It revealed multiple troopers pursued the Malibu, hitting speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, before calling it off shortly before the crash.

ISP cleared their two troopers who started the pursuit of any wrongdoing – in fact, they determined it was no pursuit at all, because they never activated their lights and sirens. But something in the report stood out.

A nearby Illinois Department of Transportation employee reported seeing the Malibu, with an ISP SUV following closely behind. Records show a state police captain was behind the wheel, and then first on the scene, 41 seconds after the crash.

Upon learning what the IDOT employee witnessed, ISP investigators suspended a planned interview with the captain, his version of events nowhere to be found in the 500-page report. NBC 5 Investigates then obtained the captain’s personnel file, and found he submitted for retirement 12 days after the crash. A check with ISP’s internal investigation office showed “no open or pending cases” that would prevent him from retiring in good standing.

In a statement, an ISP spokeswoman said the captain would have been interviewed if he had not retired. But because the agency had “definitive evidence” that neither he “nor any other officer was pursuing the offender’s vehicle immediately prior to the crash, there was no reason to interview him after his retirement,” the statement reads.

It’s not clear why the captain retired – he did not respond to our request for comment.

Selina Taylor’s sister Keyona Armstrong said her family has still never learned anything about that night from police – only from NBC 5.

“How the news people, they willing to help us and you guys are supposed to be the ones who help us, because y’all the police and y’all didn’t deliver at all – nothing,” Armstrong asked.

Upon obtaining the internal report, NBC 5 Investigates filed another request for dash cam videos from ISP’s investigation. ISP asked for – and NBC 5 Investigates sent – a money order to get the records.

That was nearly two years ago and ISP has, to this day, sent nothing in return. NBC 5 sued for the records, arguing ISP violated the Freedom of Information Act. A judge agreed and ordered the agency to turn over the videos more than a month ago. They still haven’t. And by continuing to withhold them, they’re now not only ignoring state law – they’re defying a judge’s order.

“Police say they’re supposed to serve and protect but it just feels like they disobeyed their own laws and neglected to take accountability for their own actions,” Armstrong said.

Sebastian Taylor has filed a claim against ISP in the state’s Court of Claims. That case is still pending.

But Selina Taylor’s family says they still feel trapped in that night – even as time marches on.

“She was almost home. Four blocks away, but y’all chasing the car and now she’s gone and that is not right,” Sherry Taylor said.

“Even though it’s going on three years, it do just feel like yesterday,” Armstrong said. “It just feels like time stopped then.”

According to ISP officials, Trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green is still recovering from his injuries after he was allegedly shot and beaten by a 37-year-old Chicago man during a traffic stop on Oct. 24.

In the latest update, officials say that suspect fired at least 10 shots during the attack, and then used his weapon to repeatedly strike the trooper in the face, causing severe injuries.

“By the grace of God, Trooper Chapman-Green survived this brutal attack,” ISP Director Brendan Kelly said in a statement. “Police officers across the state take an oath to protect the lives of Illinois citizens, and all too often that means facing diabolical, hateful, vicious evil that no innocent human being should ever have to face.”

Dashcam video shows a suspect get out of his vehicle during the stop and begin firing shots at the trooper. He then runs out of frame to attack the officer with his gun, which was captured by a nearby surveillance camera.

Warning: the imagery in the video may be disturbing to some viewers:

According to state police, the trooper was struck by multiple gunshots. He also suffered facial fractures, a fractured skull, and bleeding in his brain because of the violent attack.

The suspect fled the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later. That suspect was hospitalized after his arrest, and appeared via Zoom at a court hearing Friday.

Cristobal Santana faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm to a police officer, one count of aggravated battery to a police officer, and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to Sangamon County prosecutors.

Santana was also wanted in connection with a murder in Chicago. While police have not directly connected him with the crime, the family of Chicago Public Schools special education teacher Adrianna Lopez say that Santana is her ex-boyfriend, and that he had “recently shown signs of violence” against her prior to her shooting death earlier this month.

Family members say the two had dated for approximately 18 months before they broke up earlier this year.

Lopez filed for an order of protection against Santana after he allegedly kicked a door while they were arguing.

No charges have been filed in her death.

The suspect in the trooper’s shooting was identified as Cristobal Santana, 37, of Chicago, by Illinois State Police. In a statement, state police said Santana is also wanted in a “recent” murder in Chicago but did not give more details.

Relatives of Adrianna Lopez, 37, who was gunned down outside her home Sunday night, say Santana is her ex-boyfriend and had recently shown signs of violence against her. She was shot more than 10 times, police said.

“She was a great person, she cared about her family and other people,” her sister, Norma Lopez, told the Chicago Sun-Times through tears. “She was joyful.”

On Wednesday afternoon, a police squad car police could be seen outside the home where family were gathering. Relatives told reporters they had spoken to a Chicago police detective but were frustrated about the lack of information police had provided.

Lopez’s niece, Michelle Martinez, said the family learned of Santana’s arrest through social media.

“CPD is not letting us know anything,” Martinez said. “We are very concerned, and we just want to know what’s really going on. We’re trying to apply as much pressure as we can.”

State police said a trooper “interacted” with Santana about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday in Springfield. During the interaction, gunshots were fired, and the trooper was hit in the leg. Santana ran away but was taken into custody about 2 a.m., according to the statement.

The trooper remains hospitalized Wednesday evening, in serious condition, according to another statement, which said Santana was also injured and in a hospital. It’s not clear how he was hurt.

As of Wednesday, Santana had not been charged in either shooting.

About 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Adrianna Lopez and a male friend had just returned to her home in the 5400 block of South Narragansett Avenue after going out to eat, said her brother-in-law Noel Jaramillo.

“[Santana] was there waiting for her,” alleged Jaramillo, who said the man that was with her witnessed the shooting.

Oralia Luis, who has lived at the end of the normally quiet block for over 30 years, said she heard gunshots ring out that evening but thought they may have been fireworks. She came outside and saw dozens of neighbors rushing to help Lopez.

“Everyone was telling her to stay alive,” Luis told the Sun-Times. “The poor girl.”

Adrianna Lopez died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

“She was so sweet, she was so nice to everybody. It’s senseless.” Jaramillo said.

Lopez and Santana dated for about a year and a half before they broke up just three months ago, according to family members.

The family said they did not see signs of violence while the pair were dating, but about month ago, Jaramillo alleged Santana kicked a door in while they were arguing. Around the same time, an argument between Lopez and Santana turned physical, and Martinez said she helped her aunt file for an order of protection.

Law enforcement agencies could not immediately confirm an order of protection was in place.

Lopez did not have children but looked after her nieces and nephews as if they were her own.

“She was a very happy soul,” Martinez said. “She always wanted to listen. She was like a mom. She was my best friend. She was the one person I could go [to] for anything and know that I could count on.”

Lopez had been working as a Chicago Public Schools special education teacher at Nathan S. Davis Elementary School in the Brighton Park neighborhood for about three years, Martinez said.

While many questions remain, the family said they are relieved her ex-boyfriend is in custody.

Services for Lopez will be held on Sunday and Monday. The school where Lopez worked also plans to hold a vigil, Martinez said.

“Right now, we’re all just in denial,” Martinez said. “I was just talking to her, literally, hours before it happened. … I’m keeping myself very distracted with just wanting justice for my aunt.“

Domestic violence remains a problem

Last year in Chicago, there were 36 firearm-involved domestic violence homicides and 79 non-fatal domestic violence shootings, according to a statement from the Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence.

“When domestic violence survivors go to the courts for an order of protection, we must ensure that protection works — especially when a firearm is involved. For Adrianna Lopez, we failed,” Amanda Pyron, executive director of the Network, wrote in a statement.

The Network is demanding the Illinois General Assembly act on legislation aimed at removing firearms from those accused of domestic violence.

Karina’s Bill, named in honor of Karina Gonzelez, who was fatally shot in her Little Village home, would require law enforcement to remove firearms when serving an emergency order of protection. It would also clarify language allowing judges to issue a search warrant when ordering the removal of a gun.

According to a press release from the ISP, the incident occurred at 10:47 p.m. in the 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield, in Sangamon County. According to the release, a Trooper at that location interacted with Cristobal Santana, 37, of Chicago. Santana is believed to be wanted in connection with a recent Chicago homicide, the release added.

Shots were fired during the interaction, the release said, with the Trooper being struck in the leg. Santana, who had arrived at the scene in a vehicle, fled on foot, police said. At 1:58 a.m., he was taken into custody, according to the release.

According to the release, the Trooper was taken to a nearby hospital. Further details on the Trooper’s condition was not available.

Several streets in the area were closed as part of the investigation, which is in its early stages, the release said.

According to authorities in suburban Cicero, officers were called to a home in the 5000 block of 29^th Street at approximately 11:43 p.m. Sunday after reports that a child was abducted by her biological father.

Officers spoke to the mother, who told them that her ex-boyfriend had abducted a 3-year-old girl after breaking into the home.

Police say they sent out information on the man’s vehicle to surrounding suburbs, and Will County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the vehicle in Joliet.

A pursuit began when they attempted to stop the vehicle, with Joliet police and the Illinois State Police coordinating on the operation.

The vehicle eventually made its way into Chicago, where it crashed in the area of 31^st Street and Halsted, according to police.

The man was taken into custody by Illinois State Police. The child in the vehicle was unharmed and was returned to her mother.

The Cicero Police Department is leading the investigation, and charges remain pending in the case.

According to authorities, the crash occurred near milepost 139 at York Road at approximately 2:38 p.m.

A pickup truck was traveling on the inbound side of the expressway when it slammed into the back of a semi-truck, causing both vehicles to burst into flames, according to police.

The driver of the pickup was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. The driver of the semi was uninjured in the crash.

All traffic lanes are blocked due to crash and fire debris, with traffic getting through on the left shoulder, authorities said.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, an initial crash involved multiple vehicles and was reported near milepost 182 in Coles County, approximately 50 miles south of Champaign.

While traffic was originally being diverted approximately two miles north of the crash site, another collision occurred within that traffic backup, forcing Illinois State Police to set up another diversion site at mile marker 192, according to officials.

There is no word on when the affected roadways will be reopened, and crash cleanup continues at this hour.

Diverted vehicles are urged to get off at exit 192, then to take Coles County 1000 North to the west. Vehicles are then being directed onto Route 45, and will be allowed to reenter the highway at milepost 184.

Stay tuned for additional details on the circumstances of the crash.

Troopers responded around 11:30 p.m. and found the person wounded inside a car at 159th Street, the state police said.

The person was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, the state police said.

No other details were released.

According to the Illinois State Police, at 6:19 a.m., a trooper was attempting to conduct a traffic stop at Lake Shore Drive at Montrose, on a vehicle wanted for Unlawful Use of Battery and Aggravated Battery.

The vehicle fled the scene and a police pursuit ensued, with the vehicle heading south on Lake Shore Drive. The vehicle entered I-55 southbound and crashed at I-55 at Pulaski, a release from the ISP said.

After the crash, two subjects attempted to flea on foot, the release says. The subjects were detained on the scene, the release continues.

According to Total Traffic, delays and backups as a result of the incident were reported on I-55 between Kedzie and Cicero Avenues. At one point, one lane was blocked, and multiple police cars were at the scene, Total Traffic reports.

No further information was provided. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

According to authorities, Illinois State Police Troop responded to reports of an expressway shooting around 5:15 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 290 eastbound near Cicero Avenue. A male victim was transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries, officials said.

According to the ISP, eastbound lanes were briefly closed due Wednesday morning to the investigation. NBC 5 Traffic Reporter Kye Martin reports traffic and backups on I-290 as a result of the police investigation, with inbound drive times totaling more than 90 minutes.

No further details were provided.

The incident comes one day after one person was killed and another was wounded in a separate shooting on the inbound lanes of I-290 near Cicero Avenue.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Illinois State Police said a trooper stopped about 3 a.m. along Interstate 64 to assist a stranded motorist on the right shoulder of eastbound lanes. The officer encountered motorist Brandon L. Griffin, 23, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a female passenger.

After a second state trooper arrived, state police said, “an altercation occurred during which gunfire was exchanged between Griffin and a responding officer.”

Griffin was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 16-year veteran trooper was shot and wounded and hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The other trooper and the female passenger were not injured, police said.

The shooting happened near Mt. Vernon, the Jefferson County seat, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis, closing the interstate’s eastbound lanes for more than three hours.

State police said the agency’s internal investigators are handling the case, and no additional details would be released. Once state police complete its investigation the findings and evidence will be submitted to the Jefferson County State’s Attorney’s Office for review, police said.

The department is urging residents to have “heightened awareness” of their surroundings, but says that there has been no actionable intelligence or information gathered about any possible violence ahead of Saturday.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also retweeted the message on Thursday afternoon.

Chicago police issued a similar warning to Jewish and other religious communities in the city.

According to David Goldenberg, Midwest regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, a small antisemitic group based in eastern Iowa designated Feb. 25 as a “day of hate,” with other white supremacy and hate groups since saying that they intend to participate.

“Our network of analysts at ADL centered around extremism are carefully monitoring online platforms, chat rooms and a whole bunch of other things, and we’ll alert appropriate authorities if we see anything that we think needs to be elevated,” he said.

Residents are urged to call 911 immediately if they encounter suspicious vehicles, circumstances or individuals over the weekend.

“The Illinois Statewide Terrorism & Intelligence Center has been in communication with community organizations and will continue to monitor all intelligence platforms,” ISP officials said.

The news comes amid increasing instances of antisemitism in the United States. Chicago police say that of the approximately 200 reported hate crimes that occurred in 2022, 38 of them targeted Jewish people.

According to a recent survey, more than four in 10 Jews in the United States feel their status in America is “less secure” than it was at this time last year, according to the American Jewish Committee.

Hate groups have been circulating literature and flyers in advance of this weekend, according to officials.

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The incident was captured on video by eyewitnesses, who are shaken after the collision.

According to new information released by ISP, troopers were conducting a saturation patrol on the Dan Ryan near 47^th Street when they saw a black BMW, which fit the description of a stolen vehicle that was involved in a vehicular hijacking just one hour earlier.

Troopers activated emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, but the BMW fled, driving up the exit ramp before getting stopped by traffic near the intersection of 47^th Street and Wentworth Avenue.

Troopers arrived on scene and approached the vehicle on foot, but when traffic began moving, the BMW sped away, striking an ISP vehicle and sending both officers diving for safety.

One officer was on the roof of the SUV and was thrown from the vehicle. The other officer was clipped by the fleeing vehicle, according to police.

A short time later, Chicago police located the vehicle in the 4100 block of South Federal Street, and they took a juvenile suspect into custody.

According to authorities, the incident occurred during an attempted traffic stop near the 47^th Street exit on the highway.

Police say they were responding to a call of an aggravated vehicular hijacking when they tried to stop the vehicle at the location.

During that stop, the driver of the vehicle swerved toward the officers, who were able to get out of the way.

Both officers did suffer unspecified injuries, according to ISP officials.

The investigation is in its early stages, and police say they will release more information as they learn more details.

An Illinois State Police hazardous materials team responded Wednesday afternoon to Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro, 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of St. Louis after staff members responding to an inmate “medical incident” were sickened, according to Department of Corrections spokesperson Naomi Puzzello.

State police retrieved two substances found at the site, a nasal spray and powder, Puzzello said.

“The substances were identified as nonhazardous” Puzzello said, and didn’t require hospitalization or a call for emergency responders to bring naloxone hydrochloride, a prescription drug that acts to reverse an opioid overdose.

“IDOC works diligently to ensure the safety of both incarcerated individuals and employees and worked swiftly to ensure everyone had access to the care they requested,” she said.

But a spokesperson for union representing prison employees said further investigation is vital to explain the symptoms the employees suffered. Anders Lindall of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 also said the Corrections Department should prepare to have answers more rapidly in such cases.

Despite Puzzello’s assurances, chemicals identified in substances taken from the prison can irritate respiratory functions, along with contributing to other problems.

Preliminary tests found that the nasal spray contained acetaminophen, Puzzello said. It is a common pain reliever which may cause drowsiness and dizziness.

The powder was common baby powder containing aluminum phosphate, which is also used in dental cements, cosmetics, paints, paper and pharmaceuticals. It can irritate the nose, throat and lungs.

The powder also contained ethylpyrrole, which the U.S. Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration labels as a hazard to the respiratory system.

And it had benzene, which is harmful to the eyes, skin, airway, nervous system and lungs, according to OSHA.

Puzzello, who has not responded to requests to answer questions from The Associated Press, did not say in what quantities the compounds were found. She has not specified how many inmates were involved, where in the prison they were or what signs they were exhibiting which caught a prison staff member’s attention.

State police testing on clothing continued Thursday, but Puzzello did not say whose clothing.

In addition to the inmates, whom Puzzello says are in the prison’s health care unit, 22 staff members were treated at four area hospitals, Lindall said.

Lindall warned that “potent, dangerous synthetic compounds” are appearing more frequently in local communities and finding their way into prisons.

“IDOC must do more to prevent and prepare for the next such incident that may not be a false alarm,” Lindall said. “For just one example, steps must be taken to better equip facilities to identify substances in a much shorter timeframe.”

___

Follow Political Writer John O’Connor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor

According to court documents, the suit, filed on behalf of more than 860 plaintiffs in Effingham County, claims the law violates several constitutional rights.

An emergency hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Effingham County, as the suit seeks a temporary restraining order “to restore [the plaintiffs’] constitutional right to bear arms while this matter proceeds through the Courts,” a press release from the law office representing the plaintiffs said.

Filing documents show former Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore is on the legal team leading the charge.

“We will see Gov Pritzker in court tomorrow,” DeVore tweeted Tuesday. “No longer can the citizens sit idly by while bureaucrats destroy the very foundational fabric of our great Republic. It’s an honor of my lifetime to play a role in representing the People against tyranny.”

Wednesday, a second lawsuit was filed in Crawford County in the southeastern part of the state, that say the bill not only violates the Second Amendment right of citizens to bear arms — but it also goes a step further, alleging the state violated Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, and 14^th Amendment rights of equal protection.

The Illinois State Rifle Association has also promised to file its own suit against the bill.

“The ISRA leads the charge in opposing Illinois’ new gun legislation, which we believe to be unconstitutional,” a statement from Richard Pearson, Executive Director of the ISRA said Tuesday. “We will be filing a federal lawsuit imminently.”

What the Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Says

The legislation bans the delivery, sale and purchase of any assault weapons in the state, and affects dozens of specific brands or types of rifles and handguns, .50-caliber guns, attachments and rapid-firing devices.

Additionally, no rifle will be allowed to accommodate more than 10 rounds, with a 15-round limit for handguns, the bill says.

Those who already own such guns will have to register them, including serial numbers, with the Illinois State Police. The new law enables merchants to sell or return current stock and Illinois-based manufacturers can sell their wares outside Illinois or to law enforcement.

A report from the Associated Press says eight states and the District of Columbia currently have bans on semiautomatic weapons, according to Tanya Schardt, working in favor of the legislation for the Brady Campaign. They differ in their definitions of semiautomatic weapons, but generally they ban 10-round clips for long guns and handguns. The bans have survived constitutional challenges in scores of courts, she said.

Five states — California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey and New York — require registration of guns purchased previous to the law, Schardt said. The other three states with bans are Delaware, Maryland and Massachusetts.

Registration often angers current owners but most tolerate the collection of information, Schardt said.

The legislation also provides protection. If police stop a car driven by a semiautomatic gun owner, for example, they can instantly check to ensure it’s legally owned. And it allows law enforcement to trace a gun that, for example, is stolen and used in a crime.

Sheriffs Say They Will Not Comply With the Bill

Sheriffs in dozens of counties, including McHenry, DuPage, Kankakee, Boone and Winnebago have said their departments will not enforce provisions of the bill that require existing weapons to be registered with the State Police.

Their arguments center around their stance that the bill, which makes it illegal for Illinois residents to purchase, transfer or manufacture assault weapons and extended magazines, violates the Second Amendment.

“Neither myself nor my office will be checking to ensure that lawful gun owners register their weapons with the state, nor will we be arresting or housing law abiding individuals that have been charged solely with non-compliance with this act,” McHenry County Sheriff Robb Tadelman said, in a message posted to social media.

DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick also released a statement, saying that his deputies will not arrest anyone who does not comply with the new law, and that he will not be checking to be sure gun owners are registering their weapons with the state.

In response, a letter signed by 16 DuPage-area legislators said called Mendrick’s statement a “dereliction of duty” that puts the safety of DuPage residents at risk.

“The Sheriff’s words send a clear message that lawbreakers are welcome here,” the letter read in part. “Should any related tragedy occur within our borders, not only will he bear responsibility for the resulting and everlasting scars upon our community, but he also will put our livelihoods and property tax dollars at risk, as his declaration now opens us up to financial liability.”

Pritzker, who in an interview with MSNBC called the statements by sheriffs “grandstanding,” says he is confident that the new bill will withstand legal scrutiny, and says that sheriffs are required by their oath of office to enforce the law.

“It’s our state police and law enforcement across the state that will, in fact, enforce this law, and these outlier sheriffs will comply or, frankly, they’ll have to answer to the voters,” Pritzker said.

This news comes as sheriffs in dozens of counties have said they will not comply with the weapon registration requirements found within the bill, and as gun rights groups like the Illinois State Rifle Association reiterate that they will fight all the way.

The first suit, filed on behalf of more than 860 plaintiffs, will be heard by a judge on Wednesday, seeking a temporary restraining order that would prevent the implementation of HB 5471, which passed the Illinois General Assembly earlier this month.

According to filing documents, former Republican attorney general candidate Thomas DeVore is on the legal team leading the charge against the bill in the Effingham suit.

“No longer can the citizens sit idly by while bureaucrats destroy the very foundational fabric of our great Republic,” DeVore said in a statement obtained by CapitolFax. “It’s an honor of my lifetime to play a role in representing the people against tyranny.”

Richard Pearson of the ISRA also says that the group will file its own suit.

“They said they would see us in court, and we accepted that challenge,” Richard Pearson said.

Pearson’s group will also seek a TRO to prohibit implementation of the legislation.

Another lawsuit was filed in Crawford County by attorney Thomas Maag. His suit alleges that the bill violates the Second Amendment right of citizens to bear arms, but it also goes a step further, alleging that the state violated Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and 14^th Amendment rights of equal protection.

“My clients want to protect their rights, family rights and friends’ rights, and I think they have a very good case,” he said.

Maag says that he is encouraging residents to comply with the law until the legal actions have been taken through to completion, but says that he believes history is on their side.

Pritzker and other state Democrats have said they are confident the bill will stand up to legal scrutiny, but the road ahead will likely be full of litigation with plaintiffs and groups lining up to challenge it.

The first incident occurred at approximately 2:23 a.m. Saturday along Interstate 57 in Kankakee County. According to authorities, a state trooper was performing a traffic stop on the right shoulder, with their vehicle’s emergency lights activated, when a red Dodge Charger struck the left side of their squad car.

The trooper was inside the squad car at the time and wasn’t injured.

The driver fled the scene and was later located by the Bradley Police Department, authorities said. Jonnie Wilson, 74, of Kokomo, Indiana, was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

The second collision took place less than 24 hours later along Interstate 94 southbound near 111th Street in Cook County. An ISP trooper was stationary on the right shoulder, with emergency lights activated, providing traffic control for a previous crash, police stated. A silver 2019 Toyota Corolla, traveling southbound, failed to yield to the squad car, striking the left side of it.

The suspect then struck the rear of an unoccupied vehicle involved in the previous crash, police said. The driver of the Toyota, Nataly Guy, 21, of Evergreen Park, was transported to the hospital and cited for driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to yield to a stationary emergency vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

HB 5855 was introduced earlier this month by Highwood State Rep. Bob Morgan, who witnessed the July 4 parade shooting in suburban Highland Park that left seven people dead and another 48 injured.

He says that the bill is the latest step in the grieving process for those affected by the tragedy.

“It has definitely been a difficult road since the Highland Park mass shooting earlier this summer,” he said. “Our community continues to grieve, but it also continues to physically, emotionally and spiritually heal.”

The proposed legislation would make it illegal to purchase assault weapons, extended magazines and specific other items. It would also raise the legal age of gun ownership in the state from 18 to 21, with exceptions made for members of the armed forces and the Illinois National Guard.

Residents who own assault weapons would be able to register them with the Illinois State Police for a fee.

“This would require the extra step of making sure that state police know who has these assault weapons in Illinois,” Morgan said.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says that he hopes the legislation could potentially get some bipartisan backing, even though Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers of the General Assembly.

“I’m hopeful,” he said. “I think there are Republicans in the suburbs particularly who would vote for this, and whose constituents want this.”

While a vote isn’t expected until the lame duck session in January at the earliest, conservative opposition is already stirring against the proposed measure.

Richard Pearson of the Illinois State Rifle Association says that the group has backed numerous pieces of legislation, but that the proposed ban on assault weapons would lead to a legal challenge.

“We’ve given them every tool they’ve asked for,” he said. “Red flag laws, clear-and-present danger laws, mental health background checks. Everything they’ve asked for, we’ve given them.”

If Illinois were to pass the measure, it would become the eighth state to pass an assault weapons ban. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart compared the legislation to adding additional “emergency exits” in a large building.

“We need to have multiple ways to keep our communities safe,” he said. “This is just basic common sense. You wouldn’t only have one fire escape in a large building. You’d have several.”

The first hearing for the bill will take place on Monday. Sponsors of the legislation hope to put the measure up for a vote prior to the end of the lame duck session on Jan. 10.

According to Illinois State Police, all traffic is being diverted off the interstate at exit 105 following the crash. Traffic is being detoured onto Route 6, and is being allowed back onto the highway at exit 112.

Total Traffic reports that vehicles are backed up nearly to Interstate 39, near the county line between LaSalle and Grundy counties, because of the crash.

There is no timetable for the roadway to reopen, and no further details were immediately available. We will update this story with additional details throughout the evening.

“I want to know what actually happened to my son, said his mother Carlena Wilson. “He’s my baby, my first born. This hurts me.”

On the morning of Oct. 25, Dolton Police arrested Darius after he’d gotten into a heated argument with his fiance.

Hours later – just before bonding out – his family says he was found dead in a jail cell.

“They stated he hung himself at 3 am that morning, but I didn’t get a call until 9 or 10,” Carlena said.

Lakendra Williams is his fiancé.

“He is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. How did he hang himself? How?,” she asked. “We still have not gotten answers.”

John Smith is Darius’s step-father.

“He had knots around his head and blood in ears,” said Smith. “This just does not add up. I just want accountability and answers for her and the family.”

Illinois State Police tell NBC-5 in a statement that on October 25^th at approximately 11:06 p.m., their Public Integrity Task Force responded to the Dolton Police Department for an in-custody death investigation. It goes on to say that Dolton Police Officers discovered a detainee deceased in their cell and attempted to provide life saving measures. 

The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. ISP PTIF agents are leading the investigation.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office tells NBC-5 that the cause and manner of death are still pending.

Troopers were responding to a person wanted for vehicular hijacking just before midnight when the suspect sped off from Interstate 94 onto East 95th Street near South Cottage Grove Avenue, state police said.

The trooper lost control of his car on a wet road and struck a tree, police said. The person driving the alleged stolen vehicle also lost control and hit a light pole.

The trooper and two occupants in the suspect’s vehicle were taken to hospitals, police said.

Additional information was not immediately available.

“All I saw was a maroon sedan with all four doors opened in the left lane, and a young woman like wandering in the left lane—terrified and in shock,” said Jennifer, who asked NBC 5 not to use her last name.

Jennifer told NBC 5 she was driving home for lunch when she saw the victim on the side of the road in the southbound lanes near 55th Street.

“I pulled my car over, got out, and said ‘ma’am are you okay’ and she just said, ‘they took my car, like frantically, they took my car,’” she said. “I said, ‘what do you mean they took your car,’ and she just said, they took my car, they took my car.'”

The series of events began when Hinsdale police spotted a stolen Honda Accord on Ogden Avenue. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle with spike strips, and officials say the suspects then fled onto southbound I-294.

The stolen vehicle eventually stalled after one of the tires blew out. The carjacking victim was driving right behind the vehicle when that occurred.

“The four guys jumped out, surrounded her car, and she tried to put her car in reverse,” Jennifer said. “She was obviously terrified and frantic and she put her car in park by mistake, which unlocked all four of her doors and they all jumped into her car.”

Jennifer said the victim, who is understandably shaken by what happened, is a doctor. She was driving into work when she was yanked from her black SUV during the theft.

“They were screaming ‘get out of the car! Get out of the car!,'” Jennifer said.

The Good Samaritan was able to comfort the victim and brought her back to her condo where the victim waited for her husband to arrive. Investigators also talked to the victim at Jennifer’s house.

“I feel I was put in the right place at the right time to be a comfort to this person,” she said.

This incident comes nearly a week after cell phone video surfaced showing a brazen carjacking on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

“I think people need to be aware that the crime is out of control and we need to demand more to the people that put the laws in place,” she said.

Police said the Honda Accord was reported stolen from a dealership in Lyons and they believe the same crew is connected to another car theft in Hinsdale.

As for the victim’s black SUV, officers followed the car but lost sight of the vehicle. It was later found abandoned in Cicero.

The suspects have not been caught, and no further information was made available.

According to officials, the accident happened just before 11 p.m. Sunday, in the southbound lanes of I-57 near 159th Street. Photos of the crash show one car on fire, and two other vehicles damaged.

Southbound lanes on I-57 near the crash were closed overnight but reopened at 5 a.m. Monday as a result of the accident. Details as to how the crash occurred are still under investigation, according to Illinois State Police.

The accident happened around 10:30 a.m. Monday at the intersection at 77th Street and Central Avenue. In a media release, the Burbank Police Department said one of its vehicles was involved.

A bicyclist, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office as 66-year-old Denise Blidy, was killed in the crash. Blidy was a retired nurse.

A resident who lives near the accident scene told NBC 5 that the police vehicle involved did not have its lights or sirens on at the time of the accident.

Sammy Orange was walking in the area shortly after the accident happened.

“I saw her bike out here in the middle of the road,” said Orange. “It looked like she had lost a shoe.”

Jill Syoga, who often walks in the area, said she’s always on guard at this intersection.

“I feel people go through stop signs,” Synoga said. “They are not looking out for pedestrians or cyclists.”

The Burbank Police Department late Wednesday afternoon issued a statement regarding the investigation.

“The incident is currently being reviewed by the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Unit,” the statement read.

“The Burbank Police Department will not be providing any further information in reference to this incident due to it being reviewed by an independent agency.

“The City of Burbank and Members of the Burbank Police Department would like to send our condolences to all the families and friends that were affected by this tragic incident.”

Even simple tasks like walking are now painful for Aaliyah Ivory, who was shot six times after being involved in an incident with another driver on the highway near Vollmer Road on July 16.

“I feel like my life is just at a stand-still,” said Ivory. “I feel like have every right to be pissed off.”

Ivory is back at her Park Forest home after spending almost a month in the hospital, undergoing five surgeries and with bullet fragments still in her body.

“I had just got off work and hopped on the expressway and at the time there was construction – it was kinda tight,” she said. “I was driving – he came and tried to block me off. When the first two shots rang out …those are the only two I remember. He shot me six times, like a dog.”

Ivory said she has a concealed carry permit, but family members say she never touched her weapon during the altercation.

Now, two months later, no charges have been filed in the case, and Ivory and her attorney want to know why the man hasn’t been arrested and charged.

“We have tried to FOIA a bunch of information regarding the identity of person who shot her and we have hit a brick wall,” said Gregory Kulis. “I don’t know if person has clout. There are rumors that they are law enforcement.”

In accordance with state law, Illinois State Police have declined to name the other individual in the case.

Earlier this year, Ivory’s sister Ashlee Johnson told NBC 5 that the other driver “started calling her names and calling her racial slurs” during the confrontation, which started over a disagreement while the two vehicles were attempting to merge into a single lane due to road construction.

Illinois State Police said that the other individual in the case has cooperated with the investigation. In a statement, the department told NBC 5:

“The investigation remains active and ongoing.  In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, no information is available at this time.”

The Cook County State’s Attorney Office also sent NBC 5 a statement:

“The CCSAO is committed to working with our law enforcement partners as we strive to increase safety in our communities.  We have not been contacted by police to review any information for criminal charges related to this incident.  As with all cases, when information is presented to us, we will review it to determine if criminal charges are appropriate – based on the facts, evidence, and the law.”

Aaliyah Ivory recently started out-patient rehab at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. She attends sessions three times a week, and her family has also started a GoFundMe to help with her medical expenses.

“By the grace of God, I am still here,” she said.

According to a press release from Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, 52-year-old Giulia Wuttke of Chatsworth and her son Gino Wuttke were both arrested and charged with dozens of felonies in connection with the scheme, which impacted bars, restaurants and social clubs around the state.

“These arrests are the result of countless hours of cooperation between my office and several law enforcement agencies,” Raoul said in a statement. “I would like to thank the many agencies that cooperated with my office on this investigation and helped us break up this burglary operation.”

 Agencies that participated in the investigation included the Illinois State Police, the State’s Attorney’s Offices in DuPage and Lake counties, and sheriff’s departments in DeKalb, Grundy, Kendall and LaSalle counties.

According to the press release, the organized theft ring targeted small businesses across the state, with thieves breaking into gaming machines in the establishments.

Gino Wuttke is accused of robbing establishments in more than a dozen Illinois counties, including Cook, DeKalb, Kankakee and Will counties. He is facing 41 counts of burglary, a Class 2 felony, and two counts of money laundering, according to prosecutors.

Giulia Wuttke also allegedly robbed establishments in dozens of counties, and is accused of conspiracy to commit theft, two counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Glen Ellyn resident Alyssa Slouka is facing nine different felony charges in connection to the case, and Brian Morgan of Plainfield is facing dozens of felony charges, including 24 counts of burglary.

Prosecutors are also seeking two other suspects in connection to the case, with felony warrants out for 40-year-old Lucas Bailey of Wilmington and 41-year-old Syed Zaidi of Romeoville.

“Members of this burglary ring allegedly targeted bars, restaurants, social clubs and other small businesses that have video poker and video gaming machines. They broke into dozens of these establishments in multiple counties and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash out of the machines,” Raoul said.