CHICAGO — A visiting couple's dream Fourth of July getaway in one of the city's fanciest neighborhoods turned into a scene straight out of a war zone when more than 100 rounds of gunfire erupted right outside their hotel window.
The nightmare unfolded around 3:20 a.m. on July 1 in the bustling 500 block of North State Street, steps from the Royal Sonesta River North hotel, where throngs of tourists flock for shopping, dining and lakefront views.
A blonde woman, filming her vlog-style video while walking the streets the next morning, recounted the terrifying ordeal in raw detail."We were staying at the hotel... Late one night, I woke up to the sound of gunfire outside," she said, her voice dripping with disbelief. Her husband brushed it off: "It's probably just fireworks.
"By morning, the couple stepped out into a full-blown crime scene. Yellow evidence markers dotted the sidewalk. Broken glass from the hotel's shattered windows littered the ground. Two men had been shot, one fatally.
The victim was identified as 30-year-old Malik Collier, gunned down in what cops say was a brazen, targeted attack by five masked gunmen who piled out of a stolen-plate gray Honda Accord. Two wielded long guns, the others handguns. They sprayed the area with dozens upon dozens of bullets before speeding off westbound.
A 65-year-old innocent bystander was hit in the foot and survived.
The woman, clearly shaken as she panned her camera across the upscale high-rises and leafy streets near Grand Avenue, repeatedly flashed "Stay Safe CHICAGO" across the screen in sarcastic white text, a grim reminder that even in the heart of tourist-friendly River North, safety is no guarantee.
Dozens of shell casings and evidence markers painted a picture of chaos just yards from where out-of-towners were sleeping. Windows on the Royal Sonesta were blown out by the barrage.
Chicago's reputation for gun violence has long plagued even its glittering downtown core, but this pre-dawn ambush, right in the middle of holiday weekend revelry, has locals and visitors alike reeling.No arrests have been made as of Tuesday.
The couple's video, now making the rounds, captures the jarring disconnect: smiling selfies against city backdrops one moment, dodging a massacre scene the next.
Welcome to Chicago, where the fireworks aren't always the ones on the calendar.
