Employee charged in Walgreens shooting that seriously injured man at Old Town store: Chicago police

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 26-year-old Walgreens employee has been charged in a shootout inside an Old Town Walgreens over the weekend, Chicago police said Tuesday morning.

Lamont Morris was arrested about 12:50 a.m. Sunday in the 1600-block of North Wells Street after being identified as the suspect who, less than an hour earlier, shot and seriously injured a 32-year-old man inside the Walgreens at the corner of Wells and North Avenue, CPD said.

He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon without a firearm owners identification card.

The idea of a shooting breaking out inside that Walgreens immediately raised concerns, especially in light of recent armed robberies at retail establishments in the neighborhood. But, Chicago's 2nd Ward alderman wants people to know that it was not a random act of violence.

By 10 a.m. Sunday, it was back to business as usual at the 24-hour Walgreens. Most customers were unaware of the exchange of gunfire that police said took place between an employee and another man, who came into the store just before midnight. As it turns out, there was a pre-existing conflict between those two men.

"One is an employee of Walgreens, the other, possibly, a former employee. We don't have that confirmed yet. But, we do know they knew each other," Ald. Brian Hopkins said.

According to police, the 26-year-old store employee suffered a graze wound to the chest, while the second man was shot multiple times and is in critical condition at Northwestern Hospital.

"There were numerous shots fired; we think at least 20 rounds were fired within the store itself," Hopkins said.

Walgreens on Sunday would not confirm the details, saying in a statement, "The safety of our patients, customers and team members is our top priority. We take this matter seriously and are cooperating with the Chicago Police Department."

One regular customer told ABC7 Chicago, however, she's disconcerted, not just by what happened, but that a Walgreens employee was carrying a loaded weapon at work.

"It's alarming that it can break out in the middle of a place that you go every day," Wendy Sharkey said. "We could have stopped in after being out for the evening and been caught in the crossfire."

ABC7 was told there were only a couple of customers inside the store at the time. They fled immediately after the shooting. ABC7 has not been able to verify that information with Walgreens.

Walgreens told ABC7 they have a policy against carrying weapons at work.

Morris is due in court Tuesday.

INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood