North Cook News

Former state legislator Jeanne Ives criticized policies she believes enabled a shooting at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago mall in Rosemont on Friday night. There was a shooting at a different mall in the Chicago suburbs just three months ago.

"People locked in the Armani store in Rosemont. Gang Shooting. It could be anyone. Tell me again how well the Democrats do at keeping you safe. This is spillover crime from Chicago and sanctuary state policies," Ives posted on Facebook.

Around 7 pm on Friday night, Rosemont authorities were called to the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, where they found a 20-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds lying on the ground near the food court, NBC5 reported. The man, who has been identified as Joel Valdes, was transported to a hospital, where he died. A 15-year-old girl was also shot in the wrist and the leg. The alleged shooter was described as a man in his mid-twenties wearing a face-covering who fled with other suspects in a maroon 2008 Honda. Authorities described the shooting as an isolated incident.

The 15-year-old girl who was injured is in stable condition, ABC7 reported. Shoppers and workers who were present at the mall at the time of the shooting described a chaotic scene, with some people fleeing and others choosing to hide. The outlet mall reopened just after noon on Saturday with an increased security presence. Law enforcement officers have identified the owner of the getaway vehicle and are questioning him as a person of interest.

Rosemont Public Safety provided an update on March 27, tweeting, "Our investigation is still active and has been continuing throughout the weekend. We have spoken to numerous witnesses which has given us multiple credible leads. We encourage anyone with more info to call 224-585-2865."

Rosemont is a small village in northwest Cook County. Due to its proximity to O'Hare Airport, Rosemont is home to many shops, hotels, and other entertainment facilities.

On the evening of Dec. 23, 2021, two men fired shots at each other in Oakbrook Center Mall, ABC7 News reported. The men were near the Ann Taylor store at around 5:45 pm when they began shooting, and then they ran into the nearby Nordstrom store. One of the suspected shooters was hit by gunfire and taken to a hospital, and placed into custody. Three bystanders were also hit by gunfire, but all survived.

Oak Brook is located in DuPage County. After the mall shooting, County Commissioner Peter DiCianni said Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx is failing to prosecute violent crime in Chicago, resulting in more crime spreading outside of the city, according to Fox News. Foxx, who has held the role of state's attorney since 2016, has "dropped all charges against 29.9% of felony defendants, a dramatic increase over her predecessor," according to the Chicago Tribune.