CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago police released security video Monday of the attempted carjacking and fatal shooting of retired Chicago firefighter Dwain Williams last week in Morgan Park on the Far South Side. Police are hoping someone will recognize those suspects.
Dwain Williams was confronted by four carjackers just after 2 p.m. Dec. 3 after leaving the popcorn shop Let’s Get Poppin’, 11758 S. Western Ave., authorities said.
Williams exchanged gunfire with the carjackers and was shot in his abdomen. He died later at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
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In the video of the shooting, which unfolded in just a few seconds, Williams is seen walking toward his Jeep with a bag in his hand when a car pulls up and three suspects jump out.
Williams then retreats behind his car as one of the suspects rushes toward him with a gun in his hand. Williams then pulls out his own gun and is seen firing shots at the suspect, who falls to the ground before jumping back into the car and fleeing.
“You can see how horrific a crime this was, and we’re trying to bring these offenders to justice and give the family some peace in this as well,” Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said at a news conference Monday at Chicago Police headquarters.
Investigators believe the suspects followed Williams to the popcorn shop after seeing his car earlier in the day, Deenihan said.
As Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan released the video to reporters Monday night, he narrated the images on the screen - pointing out things that might cause someone to recognize at least one of the four suspects.
“You can see that guy with a pretty distinctive jacket on. So what we’re asking - and this has worked extremely well before with community - we’re asking the community to view the video, slow it down, share it with everybody.”
Early Walker, founder of the anti-violence group “I’m Telling, Don’t Shoot,” is offering part of the reward for information. That reward has now grown past $30,000.
“He was trying to get some popcorn, and his life was taken over a vehicle. Here is a man who gave his life to the city. Finally was able to retire to try to enjoy his life. And now his life has been taken. There’s someone out here who knows who these individuals are,” Walker said.
Community activist Andrew Holmes asked the family and friends of the suspects - anybody who knows something - to come forward to solve the killing of Dwain Williams.
“Give any of us a call because sooner or later you’re gonna get a knock at your door and you’re gonna wish you hadn’t,” he said. “When you see this video…and you know that’s you’re relative, you know that’s your homie, think about your father. What if this was your father?”
Williams was a Chicago Fire Department lieutenant who retired about two years ago after joining in 1992, officials said. His final assignment was with the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, where he was about to return to work as a civilian employee as soon as next week.
Williams’ slaying comes amid a spike in carjackings across the city. Cops have responded to 1,254 carjackings so far this year, according to data maintained by the city. That’s a sharp increase from the 514 carjackings reported all of last year.
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“It’s not just a Chicago problem; the carjackings all over Cook County and further out have been an issues,” Deenihan said.” Our carjacking task force has been doing an excellent job arresting these offenders. We just need to come up with a better comprehensive plan working with the entire criminal justice system in order to try and hold these offenders accountable.”
(WBBM Newsradio and the Chicago Sun-Times contributed to this copy.)