| 2023 Chicago Halloween party shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Studio 1258, North Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Date | October 29, 2023; 13 months ago (2023-10-29) c. 1:05 a.m. (CDT) |
| Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Weapon | .357 caliber SIG Sauer semi-automatic handgun |
| Injured | 15 |
| Accused | William Groves |
| Charges |
|
On October 29, 2023, at around 1:05 a.m., a mass shooting occurred at a business hosting a Halloween party, wounding fifteen people. Police alleged that the shooter was a partygoer that was thrown out of the venue, who later returned with a handgun and fired into a crowd of people. The shooter fled the scene on foot before being arrested by police a short distance away. The party was an unlicensed event attended by over 100 people, and the venue, Studio 1258, has a litany of accusations of dubious activity, with the city receiving hundreds of complaints in the months before the shooting.
Shooting
According to police, the alleged gunman was ejected from the party following a "disturbance". The manager of the venue stated that the suspect was involved in several incidents, including bumping into people and knocking their drinks over, while being visibly intoxicated, which led to his removal by security. He attempted to return to the party, but was blocked from doing so by a security guard, and became involved in a physical altercation outside the venue before leaving again. Later, at around 1:05 a.m., as the party was ending, the gunman returned once more and opened fire "indiscriminately" into a crowd of people inside the venue with a .357 caliber SIG Sauer semi-automatic handgun. One witness stated that the shooter "put his arm through the door and started shooting".
Witnesses describe hearing the glass inner door leading to the party being shattered as gunfire rang out. Attendees ducked for cover or got down on the ground to evade gunfire. A security guard was heard yelling for people to "get back" shortly before the shooting began. Several witnesses recount seeing people fall to the ground as they tried to run away from the shooter. A video of the scene uploaded to social media appeared to show victims bleeding on the ground. A total of 17 shell casings were recovered from the scene. Two of the wounded victims were struck multiple times.
Police responded to the scene as the shooting was ongoing, however the shooter fled on foot. After being pursued by a venue security guard and police, a suspect was arrested a short distance away from the scene with a handgun in his possession.
The party where the shooting took place was arranged by two comedians, who advertised the event on social media. The alleged gunman bought tickets to the event and had taken a selfie with a performer prior to his removal from the party. A lawsuit filed in February 2024 alleged that the venue did not have a licence to sell alcohol or host such parties and lacked basic safety measures.
Legal proceedings
The suspect was identified as 48-year-old convicted felon William Groves, who was charged with 32 felony counts, including 15 counts of attempted murder, 15 counts of aggravated battery, one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and one count of firing in an occupied building. Groves pled not guilty to the charges.
References
- "Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2023". Federal Bureau of Investigation. June 24, 2024. p. 36.
- ^ Henderson, Jennifer (2023-10-31). "Man charged with 15 counts of attempted first-degree murder in Chicago Halloween party shooting". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- Hickey, Megan; Assad, Samah (2023-10-30). "Past trouble for venue that hosted party leading to Chicago mass shooting - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- Hickey, Megan; Assad, Samah (2023-11-06). "Were red flags ignored at business where mass shooting happened? - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- Kaufman, Elyssa; Perlman, Marissa (2023-10-31). "Man charged with attempted murder in Halloween party mass shooting on Chicago's West Side". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "New details released after convicted felon charged with shooting 15 people at Chicago Halloween party". FOX 32 Chicago. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "Judge Orders Accused Shooter Of 15 At Halloween Party To Be Detained". Patch. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "Chicago Man Charged After North Lawndale Halloween Party Mass Shooting That Left 15 Wounded". WTTW. October 31, 2023.
- ^ "Prosecutors: Chicago mass shooting suspect 'fired indiscriminately' into crowd at comedy show". NBC Chicago. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "Lawsuit filed on behalf of 15 people wounded in mass shooting at North Lawndale Halloween party". Chicago Sun-Times. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "Suspect in custody after 15 shot at Chicago Halloween party". NBC Chicago. 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- "Chicago man faces multiple charges in Halloween party shooting that injured 15". AP News. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
- "Charges filed in shooting at West Side Halloween party that wounded at least 15 people". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-25.