STORY YOUMISSED
A 54-year-old man has been formally charged with first-degree murder after a prominent Chicago area violence prevention leader was gunned down on Halloween night.
Police officials identified the suspect as Alex D. Morris, who is accused in the fatal shooting of 57-year-old Andre M. Thomas in south suburban Chicago Heights.
The violent incident occurred around 9:24 p.m. on October 31 in the 400 block of West 14th Street after officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert.
Responding officers arrived at the scene and found Thomas suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Paramedics rushed Thomas to a local hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead a short time later.
Surveillance cameras in the commercial parking lot captured the terrifying moments leading up to the fatal attack.
The video footage shows a gunman walking directly up to a parked car that had its headlights turned on and the driver’s side door open.
The shooter then opened fire at close range, striking Thomas multiple times before fleeing the area.
Local business owners noted that the parking lot has seen frequent criminal activity over the years and lacked its usual police patrol vehicle on the night of the attack.
Family members explained that Thomas spent Halloween evening handing out candy to local children before heading to his office to meet up with his outreach team.
Detectives eventually identified Morris as the gunman and arrested him in Chicago on Friday following a multi-day investigation.
Morris is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday in south suburban Markham.
Thomas spent decades turning his life around after serving time in prison, launching his anti-violence career with organizations like Ceasefire.
He later founded his own non-profit organization, Integrity & Fidelity, dedicated to disrupting street violence and mentoring at-risk youth across the Chicago area.
Chicago Alderman David Moore (17th) expressed hope that those trained by Thomas will continue his mission across the city.
Thomas’ partner, Nita Ragland, spoke out about the heartbreaking tragedy of losing someone who dedicated his life to peace.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as authorities prepare to present their case in court.
