South Cook News

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau is applauding the law enforcement officials who responded to the shooting at Oakbrook Center Mall in which four people were hurt.

“I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I also want to send out prayers to the victims last night in Oak Brook as well as to all of the holiday shoppers that had a very frightening evening. Thank you to all of the officers in Oak Brook who kept the situation from getting worse including several of our fine officers from Orland Park who are part of the South Suburban Emergency Response Team. I wish everyone a safe Christmas weekend and hope that you all enjoy the time with your family and friends,” Pekau wrote in Facebook post.

According to ABC 7 Chicago, two men fired their weapons at one another in Oakbrook Center Mall on Dec. 23 close to the Ann Taylor store at approximately 5:45 p.m. and then proceeded to run into a Nordstrom store. 

One of the alleged shooters had to be taken to a hospital for his wounds and placed in custody. Three bystanders were hit in the crossfire and are expected to survive, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

Police have charged 29-year-old Steve Lane and 32-year-old Tyran Williams, both of Chicago. They are both in custody.

WGN reported that Oak Brook Chief of Police James Kruger said he doesn’t foresee any additional incidents and described the mishap as an “isolated incident” that was due to an ongoing feud between the two men who just happened to be at the mall.   

Fox News reported that DuPage County Commissioner Peter DiCianni has taken Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx to task for her record on prosecuting violent crime in Chicago, which he claims has spread to the suburbs.

Foxx, who has been the state’s attorney since 2016, has “dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase over her predecessor,” according to Fox News.

Kruger stated that there hadn’t been a shooting at the mall in nine years, according to ABC 7 Chicago.