Lane Bryant Shooting
Mass Shooting and Armed Robbery
CLASSIFICATION: Mass Murder
LOCATION
Tinley Park, Illinois
TIME PERIOD
February 2, 2008
VICTIMS
5 confirmed
The case involves a mass shooting and armed robbery at a Lane Bryant clothing store in Tinley Park, Illinois, on February 2, 2008, at approximately 10:45 a.m. The incident resulted in the deaths of five women, with a sixth victim, a part-time employee, surviving after being grazed by a bullet. The shooter, described as a black male with distinctive cornrowed hair, remains unidentified, and the motive for the attack is still under investigation, though it is believed to have been a robbery gone wrong. Despite numerous leads generated from a police sketch released shortly after the incident, the case remains unsolved and is classified as a cold case. Significant evidence includes the execution-style nature of the killings and indications of sexual assault on one of the victims.
Theories surrounding the Lane Bryant shooting include the possibility that the perpetrator had a specific motive related to targeting women, as indicated by the execution-style killings and the reported sexual assault of one victim. Some speculate that the attack may have been a botched robbery, given the timing and location of the incident. There is also ongoing speculation about the identity of the shooter, with various leads and a police sketch failing to yield conclusive results, leading to the case remaining unsolved.
The Lane Bryant Tragedy: A Chilling Mystery
The Incident
On February 2, 2008, a serene Saturday morning in Tinley Park, Illinois, was shattered by an unfathomable act of violence at the Lane Bryant clothing outlet, nestled in the Brookside Marketplace. What began as a regular day of shopping ended with five women brutally slain and a sixth narrowly escaping death, leaving a community reeling and desperate for answers.
The Shooting Unfolds
At approximately 10:45 a.m., the tranquility of this suburban Chicago store was violently disrupted. A man, armed with a Glock handgun chambered for .40 S&W, entered the store. He herded four customers, a part-time employee, and the store manager into the back room. There, in a flurry of chaos and terror, he opened fire.
Five women were executed, shot in the head in cold blood, a fate that might have also befallen the sixth victim had she not instinctively moved her head just as the gunman fired, causing the bullet to only graze her neck. Amidst this horror, one victim endured an unspeakable personal violation, as at least one of the women was sexually assaulted by the perpetrator.
The victims, whose lives were senselessly cut short that day, were Jennifer L. Bishop, age 34, from South Bend, Indiana; Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort; Rhoda McFarland, 42, from Joliet and the store manager; Sarah T. Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; and Connie R. Woolfolk, 37, from Flossmoor. The identity and age of the surviving victim, the part-time employee, remain undisclosed, a small mercy in the wake of such tragedy.
The Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath, as emergency services arrived, the gunman vanished, leaving the community and law enforcement grappling with a haunting mystery. The shopping center was locked down, scoured meticulously by police, but the elusive suspect had already slipped away. Authorities described him as a black man with thick, cornrowed hair and a receding hairline, a distinctive braid draped over his right cheek adorned with four light-green beads.
Despite the quick release of a police sketch on February 11, 2008, and two dozen leads pouring in within the first 24 hours, the identity of the shooter remains unknown. Theories abound, with some suggesting a robbery gone awry, yet the true motive continues to elude investigators.
The Search for Justice
In a bid to capture the killer, a $100,000 reward was offered, half generously provided by Lane Bryant’s parent company, Charming Shoppes Inc. They also established The Lane Bryant Tinley Park Memorial Fund to honor the five lives tragically lost, and graciously covered the funeral costs for the victims. The search for justice reached far and wide, even appearing on The Steve Wilkos Show, which profiled the suspect in hopes of generating new leads.
Years passed, and the store, a stark reminder of that dark day, remained vacant until it was transformed into a T.J. Maxx six years later. Yet, the memories lingered, the wounds of that community still raw.
Cultural Impact
The Lane Bryant shooting stands as a chilling reminder of how quickly ordinary life can be shattered. It joins the grim roster of unsolved crimes, echoing the eerie familiarity of the Brown’s Chicken massacre in 1993, another unsolved tragedy in Illinois. These incidents serve as haunting chapters in the state's criminal history.
Sources
For an overview of the case, visit Wikipedia: Lane Bryant shooting.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Lane Bryant Shooting
A mass shooting occurs at Lane Bryant, resulting in five deaths and one injury.
Suspect Sketch Released
Police release a sketch of the suspect, leading to two dozen leads within 24 hours.
Memorial Fund Established
Lane Bryant announces the creation of a memorial fund for the victims of the shooting.
Police Investigation Begins
Police begin a thorough investigation into the shooting, treating it as a robbery gone awry.
Victims Identified
Five women are identified as victims, all shot execution style, with one survivor.
Cold Case Status
The case remains unsolved, officially classified as a cold case.
Store Reopened
The site of the shooting is remodeled and reopened as a T.J. Maxx store.
The case involves a mass shooting and armed robbery at a Lane Bryant clothing store in Tinley Park, Illinois, on February 2, 2008, at approximately 10:45 a.m. The incident resulted in the deaths of five women, with a sixth victim, a part-time employee, surviving after being grazed by a bullet. The shooter, described as a black male with distinctive cornrowed hair, remains unidentified, and the motive for the attack is still under investigation, though it is believed to have been a robbery gone wrong. Despite numerous leads generated from a police sketch released shortly after the incident, the case remains unsolved and is classified as a cold case. Significant evidence includes the execution-style nature of the killings and indications of sexual assault on one of the victims.
Theories surrounding the Lane Bryant shooting include the possibility that the perpetrator had a specific motive related to targeting women, as indicated by the execution-style killings and the reported sexual assault of one victim. Some speculate that the attack may have been a botched robbery, given the timing and location of the incident. There is also ongoing speculation about the identity of the shooter, with various leads and a police sketch failing to yield conclusive results, leading to the case remaining unsolved.
The Lane Bryant Tragedy: A Chilling Mystery
The Incident
On February 2, 2008, a serene Saturday morning in Tinley Park, Illinois, was shattered by an unfathomable act of violence at the Lane Bryant clothing outlet, nestled in the Brookside Marketplace. What began as a regular day of shopping ended with five women brutally slain and a sixth narrowly escaping death, leaving a community reeling and desperate for answers.
The Shooting Unfolds
At approximately 10:45 a.m., the tranquility of this suburban Chicago store was violently disrupted. A man, armed with a Glock handgun chambered for .40 S&W, entered the store. He herded four customers, a part-time employee, and the store manager into the back room. There, in a flurry of chaos and terror, he opened fire.
Five women were executed, shot in the head in cold blood, a fate that might have also befallen the sixth victim had she not instinctively moved her head just as the gunman fired, causing the bullet to only graze her neck. Amidst this horror, one victim endured an unspeakable personal violation, as at least one of the women was sexually assaulted by the perpetrator.
The victims, whose lives were senselessly cut short that day, were Jennifer L. Bishop, age 34, from South Bend, Indiana; Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort; Rhoda McFarland, 42, from Joliet and the store manager; Sarah T. Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; and Connie R. Woolfolk, 37, from Flossmoor. The identity and age of the surviving victim, the part-time employee, remain undisclosed, a small mercy in the wake of such tragedy.
The Aftermath
In the immediate aftermath, as emergency services arrived, the gunman vanished, leaving the community and law enforcement grappling with a haunting mystery. The shopping center was locked down, scoured meticulously by police, but the elusive suspect had already slipped away. Authorities described him as a black man with thick, cornrowed hair and a receding hairline, a distinctive braid draped over his right cheek adorned with four light-green beads.
Despite the quick release of a police sketch on February 11, 2008, and two dozen leads pouring in within the first 24 hours, the identity of the shooter remains unknown. Theories abound, with some suggesting a robbery gone awry, yet the true motive continues to elude investigators.
The Search for Justice
In a bid to capture the killer, a $100,000 reward was offered, half generously provided by Lane Bryant’s parent company, Charming Shoppes Inc. They also established The Lane Bryant Tinley Park Memorial Fund to honor the five lives tragically lost, and graciously covered the funeral costs for the victims. The search for justice reached far and wide, even appearing on The Steve Wilkos Show, which profiled the suspect in hopes of generating new leads.
Years passed, and the store, a stark reminder of that dark day, remained vacant until it was transformed into a T.J. Maxx six years later. Yet, the memories lingered, the wounds of that community still raw.
Cultural Impact
The Lane Bryant shooting stands as a chilling reminder of how quickly ordinary life can be shattered. It joins the grim roster of unsolved crimes, echoing the eerie familiarity of the Brown’s Chicken massacre in 1993, another unsolved tragedy in Illinois. These incidents serve as haunting chapters in the state's criminal history.
Sources
For an overview of the case, visit Wikipedia: Lane Bryant shooting.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
Lane Bryant Shooting
A mass shooting occurs at Lane Bryant, resulting in five deaths and one injury.
Suspect Sketch Released
Police release a sketch of the suspect, leading to two dozen leads within 24 hours.
Memorial Fund Established
Lane Bryant announces the creation of a memorial fund for the victims of the shooting.
Police Investigation Begins
Police begin a thorough investigation into the shooting, treating it as a robbery gone awry.
Victims Identified
Five women are identified as victims, all shot execution style, with one survivor.
Cold Case Status
The case remains unsolved, officially classified as a cold case.
Store Reopened
The site of the shooting is remodeled and reopened as a T.J. Maxx store.