[STARWISE]

The killer apparently targeted a patent attorney, according to the first reports. Horrible = 4 people at work in their offices are dead. First reports were that 1 was in critical condition. God bless the victims.

[Flavius]

45-yard shot taken with a sniper rifle

yuh, must have been that .50 cal ive been hearing about

[COEXERJ145]

Cline said that when the SWAT officers had a clear shot, they opened fire. It was about a 45-yard shot taken with a sniper rifle, he said, and the bullet fatally wounded the suspect.

Nice shooting officer.

[NordP]

Meanwhile, in an Iraqi newspaper, the headline reads:

Many Iraqis wonder if Chicago is ready for democracy.

/sorry, I couldn't resist

God help these poor souls - unbelievable.

[AlaskaErik]

When the emperor decrees that the serfs shall have no means to defend themselves, this is what happens.

[VeniVidiVici]

Prayers for the victims.

Somebody should have told the shooter that handguns are illegal in Chicago.

[kcvl]

We feel he did have previous encounters with the individuals in that office," said Police Superintendent Phil Cline, without being more specific about the motive.

Once inside the gunman opened fire, wounding two people fatally. He had taken a hostage and chained a door when a police sniper shot down a hallway, striking the gunman from 45 feet away.

"There were at least another 25 to 30 people on the floor and I think the Chicago police officer -- SWAT -- saved those people's lives," said Cline.

He said the gunman may have shot himself as well, but an autopsy would have to show which was the fatal wound.

[kcvl]

None of the dead victims, all men, or the gunman were identified. A fourth victim, a woman, was shot and taken to the hospital in serious condition. The hostage was unharmed, police said.

The Medical Examiner's office said the shooter was in his 60s. The dead victims included men ages 65 and 58, while the age of the third dead victim was unknown, the Medical Examiner's office said.

[Cobra64]

"Four people, including the gunman, have died after a shooting at a skyscraper..."

Was the skyscraper ok?

[ConservativeJen]

When I heard they did not identify the shooter I was afraid it was connected to the jihadi incident as part of a larger plot, but after seeing the rest of the facts of this story it appears not to be the case

[Shellback Chuck]

How could this happen? There's no concealed carry law in Illinois. How could this guy be carrying around a gun? I just don't understand. /sarc.

[wysiwyg]

"The offender then displayed a handgun..."

But how is that possible? Handguns are banned in Chicago! /s

Gun bans have once again been proven ineffective. Prayers to the victims and their families.

[LiveFree99]

Even before I read the story I had a hunch that this incident happened at a law office.

[Petruchio]

Followup:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/166645,CST-NWS-shoot09.article

The gunman, identified by police Saturday as Joe Jackson, 59, of the 5900 block of West Chicago.

The Victims are:
Michael R. McKenna, a 58-year-old Edgewater patent attorney who rented space from the firm.

Allen J. Hoover, 65, of Wilmette, a partner at Wood Phillips.

Paul Goodson, 78, a retired school teacher who worked for the law firm in the afternoons, distributing mail and handling deliveries.

Apparent Motive:
The shooter was angry over what he thought was the theft of what a source called “a toilet seat in a truck,".