Lane Bryant shooting
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| Lane Bryant shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | 41°32′51″N 87°47′38″W / 41.54748°N 87.79375°W Tinley Park, Illinois, United States |
| Date | February 2, 2008 c. 10:45 a.m. (UTC−06:00) |
Attack type | Mass murder, mass shooting, armed robbery, sexual assault |
| Weapon | .40 caliber Glock handgun |
| Deaths | 5 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Perpetrator | Unknown |
| Motive | Unknown |
| Outcome | Cold case |
The Lane Bryant shooting was an incident of mass murder and armed robbery at a Lane Bryant clothing outlet in the Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, that occurred on February 2, 2008. The shooting resulted in five people killed and a sixth injured.
The identity of the shooter remains unknown. Police released a sketch of the suspect on February 11, 2008, receiving two dozen leads in the first 24 hours.[1]
Shooting
[edit]The gunman entered the back door and had a brief conversation with some of the victims. Sources say the gunman attempted to feign a delivery, but became increasingly agitated as time progressed,[2] and announced a robbery.[3]
Four customers, a part-time employee and the store manager were taken to the back of the store and shot. Five of them, all women, were killed; the part-time employee was wounded but survived. The five fatal victims had all been shot in the head execution style, and the sixth woman survived because she shifted her head right before being shot, causing the bullet to only graze her neck.[4][5] At least one of the victims was sexually assaulted by the perpetrator.[6] Police found the victims shortly after receiving an emergency call at 10:45 a.m. Police believe the attack was a robbery "gone awry", though the motive of the shooting has been a matter of debate.[7]
The five deceased victims were:[8]
- Jennifer L. Bishop, age 34, of South Bend, Indiana;
- Carrie Hudek Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort;
- Rhoda McFarland, 42, of Joliet (the store manager);
- Sarah T. Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; and
- Connie R. Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor.
The police withheld the age and identity of the surviving victim, the part-time employee of the store.
Aftermath
[edit]The shopping center was closed and locked down while being searched. It was reopened after police found that the gunman had left the immediate area.[9]
A $100,000 reward, half of which was donated by Lane Bryant's parent company, Charming Shoppes Inc., was offered for information leading to the gunman's arrest.[8] On February 6, 2008, Lane Bryant announced the establishment of The Lane Bryant Tinley Park Memorial Fund in honor of the five women who were killed.[10] Lane Bryant also offered to pay for the victims' funerals.
New evidence has been reanalyzed for potential DNA, with blood from under Connie Woolfolk’s fingernails that is believed to be the killers blood after she tried to fight back. The reward money has now been increased to $200,000 as well.[11]
The Steve Wilkos Show, being taped in Chicago, profiled the suspect of the shooting at the end of one episode since the incident.[12]
The store building itself remained unused for six years and was then remodeled into a T.J. Maxx.[13]
A new documentary is currently in production, with the director hoping to bring new awareness to the case.[14]
See also
[edit]- Brown's Chicken massacre, a similar murder of employees on January 8, 1993, in Palatine, Illinois
- List of homicides in Illinois
References
[edit]- ^ Maureen O'Donnell, Chicago Sun-Times (February 11, 2008). "Sketch of Lane Bryant suspect nets 2 dozen leads". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008.
- ^ "Lane Bryant murders of 5 women remain unsolved 18 years later; new documentary comes out next week".
- ^ "Police update Lane Bryant murders case".
- ^ "Murdered: Sarah Szafranski | Tinley Park, IL | Uncovered". uncovered.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ Frankie, C. M. "The Lane Bryant Shootings: Chicago Mass Murder Still Unsolved More Than 10 Years Later". A&E. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Police: Gunman in store attack sexually assaulted victim". February 6, 2008.
- ^ "Five women killed in Chicago-area store shooting". Reuters. February 2, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
- ^ a b Michael Tarm, Associated Press (February 3, 2008). "5 shot dead at suburban Chicago store". Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008.
- ^ "5 dead in strip mall shooting; gunman at large". CNN. February 3, 2008. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008.
- ^ "Lane Bryant creates memorial fund for shooting victims". Blast Magazine. February 6, 2008. Archived from the original on February 8, 2008.
- ^ Lee, Terrence (March 3, 2026). "Lane Bryant murders: Victim's father urges FBI to take over case". FOX 32 Chicago. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
- ^ THE STEVE WILKOS SHOW: Help Steve Catch a Killer! Archived 2010-08-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Pratt, Gregory (November 7, 2013). "Tinley Park shooting site opening as new store". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013.
- ^ "Documentary filmmaker hopes to help solve Tinley Park Lane Bryant murders - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. August 14, 2025. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
External links
[edit]
- 2008 murders in the United States
- 2008 mass murders
- 2008 mass shootings in the United States
- 2000s mass murders in the United States
- Deaths by firearm in Illinois
- 2008 in Illinois
- Attacks on shopping malls in the United States
- Tinley Park, Illinois
- Attacks on buildings and structures in 2008
- Violence against women in Illinois
- February 2008 crimes in the United States
- Female murder victims
- Mass shootings in Illinois
- Attacks on buildings and structures in Illinois
- Robberies in the United States
- Mass shootings involving semi-automatic pistols
- Sexual assaults in the United States
- Unsolved mass murders in Illinois