Good guy with a gun: Food vendor with concealed-carry license shoots and kills suspect who tried to rob him | Law Enforcement Today

CHICAGO, IL - Authorities confirmed that one person is dead and a food vender with a concealed-carry license was injured following a shootout during an attempted robbery on the city's West Side.

According to CBS News, the shooting incident happened just before 9:00 p.m. on Friday, November 22nd, in the 300 block of South Central Avenue in the Austin neighborhood. Police with the Chicago Police Department (CPD) said that the vendor, a 35-year-old man, was approached by another man, and then a brief struggle ensued.

The man and the vendor, who is a concealed-carry license holder, both pulled out a firearm and exchanged gunfire. Crews with the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) arrived on scene to treat both men. The armed robbery suspect, identified as 34-year-old Demitrius Manning by the Medical Examiner's Office, was hit multiple times in his body. He was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he later died. 

The vendor was also struck by gunfire. He was hit in his right arm and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. He was taken there in good condition. Two firearms were recovered from the scene. Family members of the vendor said that he has been serving the community for nearly 10 years and that he acted in self-defense.

Jacquetta Jones said in a statement, "We are very confused as to why this would happen to him, but we understand that it's the holidays, and people do very strange things to come up on money." 

According to ABC7, police said the incident is being investigated as an attempted robbery and that Area Four detectives are the ones who will be investigating. In a separate incident, a woman was wounded by gunfire in a shooting that happened in the Loop outside of the Macy's Department store on Saturday, November 23rd.

Police said that a 19-year-old woman was walking on the sidewalk near the intersection of State and Washington streets shortly before 9:00 p.m., when an unknown male fired shots. Unconfirmed police dispatch reports indicate that the victim was shot outside of the store, but ran inside Macy's after a report of shots fired.

The victim was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition. A CFD spokesperson confirmed that a second woman was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital due to a "medical emergency." That woman was reportedly standing near the first woman at the time of the shooting and suffered a panic attack.

The shooting happened as large holiday crowds were gathered downtown for the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Parade on Michigan Avenue as well as the first weekend of the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza. The incident happened just one night after the lighting of the city's official Christmas tree in Millennium Park. As of this writing, no one has been taken into custody. Area Three detectives will continue to investigate the incident.