4 Shot, 2 In Custody, 1 at Large After Shootings, Gunfire Exchange at Oakbrook Center

Police and firefighter/paramedics from Oak Brook responded about 5:44 p.m. Thursday, December 23, 2021 to a report of an active shooter at Oak Brook Mall from an Oak Brook police officer who was on special detail security at Oakbrook Center near Nordstrom, 10 Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

The exchange of gunfire occurred about 5:44 p.m. Thursday, December 23, 2021 on the second floor of the Nordstrom wing, near Ann Taylor at Oakbrook center. An unconfirmed number of shots were fired which injured four people. Two suspected shooters and one companion are believed to have been involved in a confrontation, leading to the exchange of gunfire. An Oak Brook police officer working on extra detail at Nordstrom heard the shots and responded immediately to the scene. With the assistance of mutual aid police units and Oakbrook center security, the mall was immediately locked down, and two people that were involved were taken into custody.

Oak Brook police provide an update after four people were shot Thursday, December 23, 2021 at about 5:44 p.m. at Oakbrook Center (WGN News). YouTube Tips ⓘ

The offender that was shot suffered four gunshot wounds — one in the left thigh, one in the right thigh, one in the right calf, and one in the lower back. Three female bystanders were also shot, and a fourth female bystander suffered an ankle injury while fleeing from the exchange of gunfire. The first bystander was described as a female in her 40s, who was shot in the left thigh. The second female was described in her 40s, and was shot in the left thigh. The third female was described in her 20s with a gunshot wound in the right foot. A fifth victim, was described as a female in her 20s, who suffered a fractured her ankle while fleeing from the scene.

The four gunshot victims were transported by fire department paramedics to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, while the female with a fractured ankle was transported to Elmhurst hospital in Elmhurst. Responding Oak Brook police officers took one suspect into custody as he attempted to leave the area. Police officers also rendered immediate life-saving first aid to the suspect who was struck four times by gunfire. That suspect underwent surgery and is expected to survive. All the other injuries were initially believed to be non-life-threatening.

Police have one shooter suspect and a companion in custody. There is one suspected shooter still at large, according to the Oak Brook Police Department. The offender at large is described as a male black with long black dreadlocks who appears to be in his 30s with a medium build and height, according to the Oak Brook Police Department.

Two weapons, described as pistols, and a vehicle registered to one of the suspects were recovered at the scene.

Oak Brook Police Department was assisted by a three-alarm ILEAS call out of approximately 30 communities (about 100 police officers); the DuPage MERIT SWAT; Major Case, Forensics, and Computer Forensics Components, Cook County Sheriff’s Police K-9 Units, and UAV units (drones), Kane County Sheriff SWAT, the South Suburban Emergency Response Team, as well as the Oak Brook Fire Department and area fire departments involved in the MABAS Division 12 mass casualty response.

DuPage MERIT SWAT

The Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team (MERIT) is a county-wide task force charged with leading investigations into serious crimes, critical incidents and other law enforcement assignments.

ILEAS

The Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) is a joint venture of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency created to meet the needs of local law enforcement throughout the State of Illinois in matters of mutual aid, emergency response and incidents that require the combining of resources for public safety and terrorism prevention and response.

MABAS

MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) in partnership with IEMA (Illinois Emergency Management Agency) is a statewide mutual aid response system for fire, EMS, and specialized incident operational teams. Firefighters, paramedics, technicians and command officers are support by representatives from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Department of Public Health – EMS Division, and the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association. MABAS Division 12 covers 20 communities (suburbs or municipalities) in the geographical area of Oak Brook including immediate surrounding communities near Oak Brook.

The MABAS Division 12 EMS response was activated at 5:54 p.m. for an Active Shooter emergency at Oakbrook Center.

A MABAS Division 12 Box Alarm to the Second Level was activated at 6:08 p.m. for a Mass Casualty incident at Oak Brook Mall.

A MABAS Division 12 Box Alarm to the Third Level was activated at 6:10 p.m. for a Mass Casualty incident at Oak Brook Mall.

The fire department EMS response at the third level is estimated to have cumulatively assigned about 15 ambulances to the scene.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION BEGINS 6:40 PM THURSDAY:
Oak Brook Police Department reported via Twitter at 6:40 p.m. Thursday an acknowledgement that there was a shooting at Oakbrook Center and that there was one offender in custody. IMPORTANT: Oak Brook Police had not yet confirmed that they believed there were no additional offenders; however, some social media messages were shared stating the offender was in custody as if no other offenders were involved.

A LIVE television news press conference (including a preliminary incident summary and suspect photo) was provided by the Oak Brook Police Department in time for the 10:00 p.m. news in the Chicagoland market.

The preliminary summary of the incident was provided on Twitter by the Oak Brook Police Department at 12:57 a.m. Friday, December 24, 2021.

Two still photo images of the ‘at large’ suspect obtained from security video were provided on Twitter by the Oak Brook Police Department at 1:30 a.m. Friday, December 24, 2021.

MORE SUSPECT INFO BELOW ADS

Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …

PLEA FOR HELP FROM PUBLIC

“This is who we are looking for. Do you know this person? If so or any other information regarding the shooting at Oakbrook Center, please contact Administrative Sergeant Reid Foltyniewicz via e-mail at [email protected] or phone (630) 368-8746. Thank you!”

— Oak Brook Police Department

Twitter witness accounts (not verified) …

Our son was at Oak Brook mall near the AMC theater when those shots were fired. They were walking up some stairs when a mall cop told them to turn around. Thank God they are OK. We are praying for everyone else there. They are trying to leave now.

Oakbrook mall event happened right in front of my girlfriend and I. To me, it looked like fireworks/crackers bc I saw a ton of sparks but idk my guns. We were walking out of Hollister. Stay safe everyone.

My daughter is locked inside Nordstrom. She said the shooter has been caught

My dad and stepmom are locked down in the Nordstrom right now. Apparently the shooter is in custody?

Thanks to @Nordstrom and their staff for helping us stay safe and calm as we are waiting out an active shooting at Oak Brook Mall. Thoughts and prayers to those involved.

ABOUT 10 MINUTES AGO I JUST HEARD MORE THAN 5 LARGE AT LEAST 9 MM GUNSHOTS TOWARDS NORDSTRUM SUDE OF OAK BROOK MALL PLEASE CHECK ON PEOPLE AT OAK BROOK MALL OR TELL PEOPLE TO AVOID IT PLEASE IM SAFE INSIDE MACYS