New surveillance video show masked suspects of shooting in Crest Hill; 1 in custody, police say

CREST HILL, Ill. (WLS) -- Crest Hill police released new surveillance photos showing the suspects of Tuesday's shooting.

Police said the shooting happened around 1 p.m. in the 600-block of Theodore Street, striking multiple businesses.

The new images show two people wearing black masks appeared to be walking on a house yard.

Both were seen running north from Merichka's restaurant between 1 a.m. and 2 p.m. They were also seen would south on Oakland Avenue before the shooting.

Crest Hill police are asking neighbors to check their cameras for any footage of the suspects.

Merichka's restaurant, has been there for more than 90 years. It was among the businesses hit by bullets during lunchtime. The manager, Ryan George, said it is fortunate that no one was sitting in the front section of the eatery when bullets came through the window.

George said surveillance cameras at the business captured a shootout between two groups of people, so this wasn't just a shooting. It was a gun battle with dozens of shots fired.

Merichka's restaurant shared surveillance video of Tuesday's shooting with ABC7 Chicago.

Police asked neighbors to swift through cameras after a shooting in Crest Hill, Illinois struck Merichka's restaurant in Theodore Street on Tuesday.

Across Theodore Street, at a Joliet strip mall, a gym and hair salon were struck by gunfire.

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"It sounded like it was like a battle, you know, like a whole war," said Super Puffs Tobacco & Minimart owner Moe Amer. "We hit the ground. There's really nothing we can do, you know. All we could do is just try to protect ourselves. We hit the ground, me and my worker."

Investigators said they recovered at least 40 shell casings from the scene.

Joliet police said at least three suspects fled the area in a light-colored SUV.

Police said no one was injured at the restaurant or elsewhere, but customers were left shaken. Some even took cover.

"A mother hit the deck with her children," George said. "We're dealing with an inconvenience and loss of business today, but it could've been a loss of life."

Police said they managed to arrest a suspect, who was hiding in the neighborhood. They're still trying to recover a handgun, which may have been discarded.

Police asked anyone who comes across that weapon not to touch it, but instead call Crest Hill police.