2 shot, injured at union hall following vote

Diane Pathieu Image
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Two shot at union meeting
Two people were shot and injured at a union hall after an argument following an important vote for UAW 551 members of a nearby Ford plant.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police say two men were shot and injured outside a union hall at 136th and Torrence following a United Auto Workers 551 leadership election.

Witnesses say a small group of union members from the nearby Ford Plant was arguing about the election and its results, including one person who had a gun. Police say the two me, ages 40 and 44, were shot in the parking lot shortly before 10 p.m.

The 40-year-old was shot in the left leg and the 44-year-old was shot in the right leg. Both men are expected to be okay.

An employee says the Ford plant was briefly on lockdown as police searched for the shooter.

"The police was out in the plant and put us on a lockdown. Man, I was just shocked. I mean, they were just searching the area. Yeah, they were looking around the area with their dogs and everything... it's just crazy," says Carlex Grier.

Police say the two victims did know the shooter, but the gunman remains at large.

Aaron Straker and Jeff Bacon identified themselves as the victims in Facebook posts Saturday afternoon. Straker posted, "For those that don't know or want an update last night shortly after our local election results were posted, Jeff Uaw Bacon and myself both became victims of gun shot wounds. Mine went through my thigh, just missing the bone, but went all the way through taking a fair amount of muscle tissue with it."

He also posted that he has no intention of leaving his union work, saying, "This is not about money, ego or power. This position allows me to help people every day. That's all i want to do, is help people!"

Bacon's also posted about the incident, but in much shorter form, simply saying, "Fastest way for me to respond to all the texts and inboxes...Not life threatening!!! Jesus is not done with me!!!! Praise him!!!!"

Police continue to investigate.