Watch CBS News

Organizations Come Together To Offer Reward For Arrest In Shooting That Killed Retired Fire Lt. Dwain Williams

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Several organizations are combining resources to offer a reward following the murder of retired Chicago Fire Lt. Dwain Williams during an attempted carjacking in Morgan Park last week.

Community leaders held a news conference Sunday denouncing that crime.

"No one is safe – whether you are a child sitting at home in the living room with your parents, or whether you're a 65 senior citizen going to get some popcorn, and lose your life?" a community leader said. "We've become anaesthetized to this. It's a way of life. It's unacceptable."

Around 2 p.m. Thursday, Williams, 65, was leaving the Let's Get Poppin popcorn store at 11758 S. Western Ave. and was walking to his vehicle, when a four-door dark-colored sedan pulled up and four men got out and bum rushed him, according to Chicago Police Chief of Operations Brian McDermott.

The men tried to take the Williams' vehicle -- a maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee with festive reindeer antlers attached to it -- and one of the assailants took out a gun and fired at least one shot, striking the victim in the abdomen, police said.

Williams had his own gun and fired at the assailants, but his wound proved fatal. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 2:45 p.m., McDermott said.

The reward is now up to $33,000 for information leading to an arrest. Police are asking anyone with information about the crime to go to CPDTIP.com.

Also From CBS Chicago:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.