Tow truck driver shot, killed while on job in Roseland; 1 other dead, witness and CPD say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two people, including a tow-truck driver, were killed in a shootout on the Far South Side Wednesday morning, Chicago police said.

Police responded to the 11300-block of South Lowe Avenue at about 2:29 a.m.

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Officers found a 59-year-old man operating a tow truck shot in the head. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

A 45-year-old man was shot multiple times, and taken to Advocate Christ Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

They have not yet been identified.

Investigators said that there was an exchange of gunfire between the two men.

Video from the scene showed the tow truck was in the process of hooking a vehicle.

Those who live in the area were woken up by arguing and gunfire.

"The tow truck man was out here trying to do his job. He was getting him to not touch his car. After a few minutes, all I heard was gunshots," said a witness, who did not want to be identified.

The 45-year-old man owned the car, and had lived on the block for a long time.

He lived alone.

Neighbors said the vehicle had been booted the night before.

"I heard a warning shot. Then I heard like two shots. Then I heard like four shots after that. He was just doing his job. That's all I can say is he was just doing his job," the witness said.

Later Wednesday morning, debris was still everywhere. The rear passenger window of a red vehicle was shot out during the exchange of gunfire.

That vehicle's owner moved into the area just a couple of weeks ago.

Some of the tow truck driver's colleagues who showed up in the aftermath of the shooting said he was subcontracted by the city to tow the car.

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation would not confirm that because of the ongoing police investigation.

The incident comes a week after a violent confrontation near 95th Street and Stony Island Avenue when Illinois State Police said a tow truck driver stopped to assist a two-car crash before some argument broke out, leading to gunfire, which left one person dead.

The shooting took place in the city's 21st Ward, and Alderman Ronnie Mosley said people need to put the guns down.

"Ultimately, we need folks to make better decisions," Mosley said. "We have to change our mindsets about this, to lean on other avenues than just guns to solve disputes."

Five people were killed in gun violence across the city in a six-hour time span, starting after 9:45 p.m. Tuesday. That total includes the tow truck shooting in Roseland.

Alderman Mosley said one shooting is too many.

"We're gonna work with our partners, community partners, faith leaders, families, all of us coming together to make sure that we know what's available to us to help us make better decisions," Mosley said.

Area Two detectives are investigating.

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