Suspect arrested, charged in Austin shooting death of security guard after Dolton CPD shootout
Victim remembered as rock of his family
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A suspect has been charged and taken into custody after a suburban shootout with police in the murder of a security guard at a West Side Family Dollar last week, Chicago police announced during a news conference Tuesday morning.
Chicago police were following a tip Saturday, the day after a suburban father of four was shot to death inside a Family Dollar Friday afternoon, CPD said.
Police identified a suspect in the West Side shooting and found the individual in Dolton, according to police.
CPD said officers and SWAT were in the 15200-block of South Meadow Lane at about 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
There was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and officers, CPD said. Officers then took the suspect into custody in the 15200-block of Diekman Court in Dolton, and recovered a gun from the scene.
The shooting elicited a massive police response, including Illinois State Police, with the neighborhood blocked off.
No injuries were reported in that incident.
Rodgerick Oneal, 36, of Maywood was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery of a peace officer, resisting a peace officer and having a warrant in the Dolton shootout.
Oneal was charged with first-degree murder and murder with a strong probability of death or injury in the Austin Family Dollar incident, which took place in the 5400-block of West Chicago Avenue just before 1:40 p.m. Friday.
The victim, Loyce Wright, 43, of Hanover Park was shot several times, and later died.
Relatives of the victim told ABC7 he was a security guard.
They said Wright wore a vest, but it wasn't bulletproof.
Wright, in addition to being a girl dad, was a fitness buff who always had time for anyone, and the rock of the family. He'd worked security for about a year at the store, his family said, they worried about his safety.
Police on Tuesday said the suspect was a previous employee at the store, with a criminal background.
During Tuesday morning's press conference, CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling said the arrest was thanks to a department-wide effort, and cooperation from the community.
Snelling called Oneal an extremely violent person.
"He (Wright) was simply at the store doing his job when his life was tragically taken from him," Snelling said.
The victim's sister, Robin Wright, said she didn't know where Oneal came from.
"I have no idea," she said. "It was not his place to take my brother's life. For whatever reason, I don't even want to know. There's no explanation he could give me."
Wright said, while she's thankful Oneal is off the street, she doesn't know why he targeted her brother.
"I just want him to rest peacefully, and know that we all loved him. I know that he feels that love now," Wright's nephew Juwan Edmond said.
Wright's family is still reeling from his loss, and struggling to make peace with the fact their younger brother is gone.
"It just hurts that I'm never going to see him again because of a senseless act like this," Robin Wright said. "My niece said the other day if you never got a hug from him, you don't know what a hug is. He would hug you and lift you up off your feet."
Oneal is due in court Friday, and Wright said she'll be there then and any other time he makes an appearance.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood
