i love the way the newspaper  ommits the fact that the "pedestrian" was beating the shit out of the driver with a baseball bat, when the passenger got out and shot him



Pedestrian fatally shot near Wrigley

 


 
By Patrick Rucker and Jon Yates, Tribune staff reporters. Staff reporter David Heinzmann contributed to this report
Published May 7, 2004

A traffic altercation turned deadly Thursday when a pedestrian was fatally shot while quarreling with a motorist at an intersection outside Wrigley Field about two hours after a Cubs game, police said.

The 26-year-old victim was crossing Clark Street around 6:10 p.m. when he exchanged words with the driver of a sport-utility vehicle that was turning left from Addison Street, said Chicago Police Lt. Richard Ryvicki.

 
 

The driver jumped out of the SUV after the pedestrian hit the vehicle's hood with a small bat, Ryvicki said.

The two exchanged blows, and a passenger in the SUV jumped out and shot the pedestrian, police said.

The driver was taken into custody at the scene, and the passenger was apprehended after a short chase, according to police and witnesses. A witness said the SUV appeared to nudge a pedestrian while making the turn but could not say if it was the pedestrian involved in the altercation.

Police did not release the name of the victim.

The driver of the SUV was identified by a family friend, Lorie Olszak of Chicago, as a 21-year-old father of three who had been working on a construction job in the Wrigley area. She said he had stopped for drinks at a bar a block away from the ballpark, and was on his way to see his girlfriend when the incident occurred.

At Belmont Area police headquarters, Marge Wallace told WGN-TV she was waiting for her son, who had been with the victim at the Cubs game.

"They spent so much time ... on the computers getting tickets ... They made a pact that they'd go together. He was one good kid," she said.

Belmont Area police interviewed witnesses Thursday, but no charges had been filed.

Coming after a lopsided Cubs victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the shooting shocked the normally merry postgame Wrigley-area scene.

"I've never seen anything like it in my life. I dropped down when I heard the shots. People were pushing their kids inside," said Meghan Sweeney, 22, of Chicago.

Rick Lopez, a bouncer who was standing in the doorway of Sluggers, 3540 N. Clark St., when the shooting occurred, said, "I don't think anyone knew what happened until we saw a guy lying on the street."

A bartender at Bar Louie, 3545 N. Clark St., who asked to be identified only as Robert said, "It's a baseball game. It's supposed to be fun. Is this what we're supposed to look out for?"

Dan Mason, 32, general manager of Hi-Tops bar, 3551 N. Sheffield Ave., didn't see the incident as an offshoot of excitement in the neighborhood over the Cubs season.

"I don't see the neighborhood as getting rowdy," he said. "We just went through the first two night games of the year, and nothing led me to believe that the crowds are out of control.

"I can't say [the shooting] has a direct relation to the ballgame. It could happen here, it could happen downtown."


Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

its chicago, first 900 people or so get free mini baseball bats, kinda like a big billy club. we arm our people, especially when playing  any new york teams

even though this happened on the  north side where all the  yuppies and sissies  live

I got one of them mini bat things.  It feels like it would hurt like hell.  Id still rather use a jack handel for beating the hell out of stuff.

Quoted: I got one of them mini bat things.  It feels like it would hurt like hell.  Id still rahter use a jack dandel for beating the hell out of stuff.

"jack dandel"

"Would that be a "jack handle" or would that be a bottle of "Jack Daniels" ?

Quoted: Quoted: its chicago, first 900 people or so get free mini baseball bats, kinda like a big billy club. we arm our people, especially when playing  any new york teams Oh only downstaters would go to Chicago for a ball game and they are all scared of guns n stuff. We have guns up here but it's tough to get to Chicago and back in time to slop the hogs and rotate the crops.

is that upstate talk for  taking a woman to dinner and a movie?

Quoted: Quoted: I got one of them mini bat things.  It feels like it would hurt like hell.  Id still rahter use a jack dandel for beating the hell out of stuff. "jack dandel" "Would that be a "jack handle" or would that be a bottle of "Jack Daniels" ?

Man its too late at night here 7:40AM.   But either of those will work

Quoted: Man its too late at night here 7:40AM.   But either of those will work

Night ?

Quoted: Quoted: Man its too late at night here 7:40AM.   But either of those will work Night ?

I wake up at 4-7PM and work 11pm-8AM so its night in my book.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Man its too late at night here 7:40AM.   But either of those will work Night ? I wake up at 4-7PM and work 11pm-8AM so its night in my book.

OK ! I'll buy that !

Don't forget the father of 3 on his way to gf's after drinking was only 21.  Sounds like he has been burning the candle at three or four ends.  At this rate he's gonna be lucky to make it to 25.

Quoted: its chicago, first 900 people or so get free mini baseball bats, kinda like a big billy club. we arm our people, especially when playing  any new york teams even though this happened on the  north side where all the  yuppies and sissies  live

You still haven't gotten over 1969, have you?

Quoted: I guess "Bat Wielding Asshat fatally shot near Wrigley" wouldn't have the same affect. {sounds like they might have "nudged" batboy with the truck first though} How about mom "family friend" telling everyone he was drinking before the confrontation with batboy. Oh and I like that he "has three children" (i.e. a loving father and upright citizen) but was going to visit his "girlfriend" er does mean that he was stopping to boink his mistress on the way home to see his wife, or that he was stopping by his babies' momma's house on the way home? I didn't know people brought their own bats to ball games, I thought you were supposed to catch the balls that go into the bleachers, not hit them back.

How can you deduce that he is a loving father and upstanding citizen from the quantity of children he has? For all we know he could be a rampaging drunk that beats the shit out of his wife and kids! For me the jury is still out on this one, they may both very well be guilty!

With regards to bats at the ballgame, they give them out around here(Seattle) all the time. It is one of those items they hand out when you give them your ticket.

Last report off AP Breaking off Drudge is they are charging with murder.  Early reports from the police and/or news media as above apparently are quite accurate as to total circumstances

If I was to take a wild guess it might be under the old adage that if you start the fight, you can't claim self-defense to escalate too far when losing.