5 dead in strip mall shooting; gunman at large

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) — A gunman who shot and killed five women in a clothing store at a suburban Chicago strip mall Saturday remains at large, police said.

Authorities do not know the motive for the shooting at the Lane Bryant store, said Tinley Park police Sgt. T.J. Grady. The victims’ identities were not released.

Grady told reporters that a 911 call reporting the shooting came in at 10:44 a.m.

Shoppers in nearby stores described a tense situation after the shooting..

“Six police entered the store with their hands on their gun holsters,” said Tracy Caccavella, who was in a pet supply store across from the Lane Bryant store, according to The Associated Press..

The gunman was described as an African-American man, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing between 230 and 260 pounds, Grady said. He was wearing a waist-length black winter coat, a black cap and dark jeans..

Authorities believe there was only one shooter, Grady said.

So, Mayor Daley, hows gun control working for you? Had the victims been able to carry their own defensive tools the headline might have been something like, “Thug shot dead after shooting one victim.”

Add these deaths to the list of charges for Daley’s trial on violation of 18 USC 242.