Crime
Victims killed by ‘disgruntled” ex employee at Navy Pier identified
Sources told Channel2 NOW that suspect has been taken into custody.
Two men were fatally shot Tuesday afternoon by a former employee of a Navy Pier subcontractor, according to Chief of Patrol Jon Hein, who spoke at a press conference.
The tragic incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. near a restricted loading dock area on the north side of Chicago’s Navy Pier at 600 East Grand Avenue, a location not accessible to the general public.
The victims, identified as Antwon Johnson, 47, and Peter Jennings, 51, were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Hein described the suspect as a “disgruntled ex-employee,” and police confirmed they have a “person of interest” in mind who is actively being sought in connection to the shooting.
Sources told Channel2 NOW that suspect has been taken into custody.
Following the incident, Navy Pier’s Chief Operating Officer Brian Murphy activated an immediate lockdown alert, sending a shelter-in-place order to the pier’s 70 tenants through an internal communications system.
This precautionary measure has since been lifted, and Murphy emphasized that at no point was the general public at risk.
“This was an isolated incident,” Murphy said, expressing condolences for the employees who lost their lives during what should have been a routine workday.
Chief Hein reinforced this, adding, “The pier is clear now. The pier is safe.”
Authorities are continuing their search for the suspect as they investigate the events leading up to this tragic shooting.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.