Crime
Lafayette Mass Shooting: 73-Year-Old Gunman Kills One, Injures Two Before Taking His Own Life
LAFAYETTE, IN – December 5, 2024 – Authorities have released additional details and surveillance footage related to the tragic mass shooting at Lafayette Laundry on South Street, where 73-year-old Louis McGlothlin of Nebraska opened fire before turning the gun on himself.
McGlothlin parked his truck in the laundromat’s parking lot, locked his vehicle, and appeared to handle an object—possibly a handgun—before entering the business.
Once inside, he rapidly fired seven rounds, targeting multiple individuals before exiting and taking his own life.
- Keith Ford, 35 – Fatally shot at the scene.
- Renee Martin, 32 – Sustained gunshot wounds, transported to a hospital for treatment.
- Salvador Antonio De La Cruz Reyes, 30 – Also wounded, hospitalized with serious injuries.
Both Martin and Reyes survived but required extensive medical care.
Investigators believe McGlothlin was suffering from undiagnosed mental health issues, according to Lafayette Police Sgt. Shawn Verma.
Originally from Lafayette, McGlothlin later joined the U.S. Navy, retired, and settled in Lincoln, Nebraska. On December 5, 2024, he drove across four states before arriving at the laundromat, where he carried out the attack.
Following the shooting, authorities searched McGlothlin’s home and uncovered disturbing evidence suggesting he had been contemplating a similar act for decades.
Detectives found videos recorded 25 years ago in which McGlothlin discussed plans for a random mass shooting in the year 2000. However, for unknown reasons, he ultimately chose not to follow through at the time.
A handwritten note, discovered on an old DVD, detailed his intentions from decades prior. McGlothlin’s wife and family were unaware of his past plans or his actions leading up to the December 5th shooting.
Lafayette police have categorized the attack as random and emphasized that McGlothlin had no known connection to the victims.
Authorities have since released three surveillance videos documenting the incident following a public records request from the Journal & Courier.
“Our thoughts remain with the victims, their loved ones, and the first responders who witnessed this horrific event,” said Lafayette Police officials.
This tragic incident underscores the critical importance of mental health awareness and intervention, as well as the unpredictable nature of premeditated violence.
Authorities continue to investigate McGlothlin’s actions in the days leading up to the attack to determine any additional contributing factors.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.