Woman Shot, Killed at Chicago Medical Center
Nov. 25--A woman died after being shot and another person was injured at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center late Thursday night, according to authorities.
Police were looking for the dead woman's 47-year-old former boyfriend, who also is a hospital employee. A building-to-building search of the large hospital complex had not found the suspect by 4:45 a.m., some five hours after police were notified of the shooting at 1801 W. Taylor Street.
An ambulance wasn't immediately able to reach the dead woman because the scene wasn't safely secured, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.
But a spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said an investigator was heading to the scene after being notified of a death just before 3 a.m. Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer also said the scene had been secured.
A source said the assailant whom police are searching for injured -- but didn't shoot -- a second victim who didn't require medical attention. It was not known who that person was or how they were injured.
Police continued to search the area into Friday morning. A police helicopter circled the area around the campus, shining a spotlight onto the ground below, until being sent for more fuel at about 2 a.m.
Police SWAT teams were combing the building and surrounding buildings, which are connected by an "extensive tunnel network," a police source said. SWAT team members were working their way down building stairways from rooftops.
Police broadcast a series of alerts for a 47-year-old hospital employee, described as a black man with a medium complexion, black hair and brown eyes. He's about 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, and was last seen wearing sunglasses, a UIC polo shirt, a black hooded sweatshirt, blue work pants and yellow gloves, according to the broadcast alert.
UIC sent out a text message to students before 1 a.m. Friday alerting students and staff about the shooting. A spokesman for the hospital wasn't immediately available for comment.
"There is a man with a gun in the UIC Hospital, last seen on the second floor. Stay in a secure location and lock doors if possible," read the alert. "He is armed and dangerous."
"An all clear message will be transmitted when he is apprehended," the alert read.
Police blocked traffic in the area around the campus and escorted some people from the hospital to their cars.
pnickeas@tribune.com
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