Burnside shooting leaves USPS mail carrier critically hurt; $50K reward offered
US Postal Inspection Service offering $50,000 reward for information leading to arrest
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A $50,000 reward is being offered for information after a postal worker was shot Thursday morning in Chicago's South Side Burnside neighborhood.
The 24-year-old woman, who works as a United States Postal Service mail carrier, was shot at 91st Street and Ellis Avenue just after 11:35 a.m. while on the job.
Chicago Fire Department officials said she was critically hurt after being shot multiple times.
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She was transported to University of Chicago Medical Center, fire officials said.
She did not appear to be the intended target, Chicago police said. The alleged shooters were driving by at a high rate of speed when the shots were fired.
"We're asking help from the community; we know that the postal service is offering $50,000," Chicago police Cmdr. Robert Rubio said.
After the shooting, mail could be seen scattered on the sidewalk in front of a home on Ellis Avenue.
"About a month ago, I introduced myself to her. I told her where I stayed at," Delois Dean said. "This is where my mail would come to, just to let her know because I was looking for the last mail carrier. She was just adorable. Just did her job."
Isis Edmond is a fellow postal worker who rushed to the scene in the aftermath to check on a family member who lives in the area. After seven years on the job, she said being a postal carrier in the city is a dangerous job.
"You pray. Pray that god protects you," Edmond said. "But you try to be aware of your surroundings, just look out, but sometimes, in her case, you can't see everything."
She said the risks are so high, there's even a procedure for it.
"I've been delivering mail and gunshots rung out. I've had to run to my truck and stay in my truck until everything deescalated," Edmond said. "Contact 911 of course. Contact my supervisor to tell them what's going on. Then leave the area. That's the process."
Dean decried just how dangerous the neighborhood has become.
"August 6th, my husband and I were driving and we made a right turn on the corner over there. Our car got shot up 22 times with us in it," Dean said. "It's just horrible we need to live like this with our children. It has affected me totally and my family. We're looking to move. But I still have family over here."
The US Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect responsible for the shooting.
