Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about an eight-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.
— Matt Moore (@MattKenMoore)
This afternoon will be mostly cloudy with a high near 40 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low near 32. Heavy snow, rain and slush are all possible tomorrow, with a high near 34 degrees.
Top story
Chicago police officer was shot and killed in front of kids playing at school: ‘They ran as quickly as possible just to get to safety’
A shooting that claimed the life of a Chicago police officer unfolded in front of a group of children who were playing at a nearby grade school in Gage Park, according to a witness who called 911.
“There were a lot of kids because it happened in front of the school,” said the woman, who did not want to be named for her safety. “And they go there to play. And we thought it was safe, so we would go and let them play there. But now it’s changed.”
Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso, 32, was shot several times as he chased an armed suspect around 4:45 p.m. yesterday in the 5200 block of South Spaulding Avenue, across the street from Sawyer Elementary School.
The woman said her 10-year-old sister was playing with other kids when they saw the suspect pull a gun on Vazquez-Lasso. As the girl called her family, she and the other children heard gunfire and “ran as quickly as possible just to get to safety,” the woman said.
“I feel sorry for the loss of the police officer’s family and his colleagues and friends,” the woman said. “But I’m glad they were there to keep my sister safe and her friends.”
Despite his wounds, Vasquez-Lasso returned fire and shot the 18-year-old suspect in the head, according to police. He was reported in critical condition at Stroger Hospital.
Vasquez-Lasso was taken in “extremely critical condition” to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where he died and where a large group of officers somberly gathered through the night before his body was taken by procession to the Cook County morgue on the West Side.
The officer was married and had a young daughter. They had just moved into a home in Marquette Park a little over a year ago, according to a neighbor, Sara Montemayor.
“I just saw them the day before out walking their dog. I know the grandma is over a lot to help out with the daughter” said Montemayor, 34. “It’s hard knowing that happened to a neighbor.”
Vasquez-Lasso was shot just 2 1/2 miles from his home. This morning, four police officers from the 8th District arrived at the scene of the shooting with flowers for a memorial.
Tom Schuba, Michael Loria and Frank Main have more on Vasquez-Lasso here.
More news you need
- In other CPD news, embattled Chicago Police Supt. David Brown resigned yesterday — one day after the defeat of his biggest backer, Mayor Lori Lightfoot. He did not mention the interim civilian oversight commission charged with conducting the nationwide search.
- Chicago U.S. Attorney John Lausch also announced his resignation yesterday, weeks after news of his departure was first made public. The role of interim U.S. attorney will be filled by Morris Pasqual, who has been the first assistant U.S. attorney.
- Attorneys for Jussie Smollett have finally filed their opening arguments as they seek to overturn the disgraced actor’s conviction a year ago for lying when he claimed to be a victim of a hate crime. The filing repeats several arguments that were made ahead of the actor’s trial, including that the prosecution violated his protection against double jeopardy.
- The former chief of staff for disgraced Cook County Commissioner Jeffrey Tobolski is the latest public official sentenced to prison in a wide-ranging federal corruption probe targeting Chicago’s south suburbs. Patrick Doherty, 67, was sentenced to more than five years in prison on counts of bribery and tax evasion and will have to pay back some $80,000 in state and federal taxes.
- Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, are investing $250 million to create a biomedical research facility in Chicago. The facility will bring together researchers from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, officials announced today. The location is yet to be determined.
Elections 2023
Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson yesterday called his second-place finish in the mayoral race “humbling” and “exhilarating” — and he pushed back on the notion that his progressive platform might be a stretch for some Chicago voters.
“What I do know is the city of Chicago needs a better, stronger, safer city. And that means making sure that our schools are fully supported and funded, reliable transportation, good- paying jobs, affordable housing, pathway to homeownership,” he told the Sun-Times. Johnson, 46, spoke with the Sun-Times less than 12 hours after clinching his spot in the April 4 runoff with former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, 69. Our Tina Sfondeles has more with Johnson here.
More than two decades after his first run for public office, the fourth time was the charm for Vallas. So why is Vallas’ message landing now with city voters who have roundly turned him down in the past?
“I think it’s because the city is in crisis,” Vallas told the Sun-Times yesterday as he strode through the Loop, shaking hands and stopping for selfies the day after voters emphatically sent him to the runoff against Johnson.
“The city really needs the type of leadership that can bring people together, and can assemble the type of leadership team that’s drawn from the community,” Vallas said. Our Mitchell Armentrout has more with Vallas here.
In her latest analysis, our Fran Spielman breaks down the different paths Vallas and Johnson will chart to the mayor’s office.
Switching gears to ward races, our Robert Herguth and David Struett take a look at the 14 likely runoffs in City Council races — and how there could be more.
And our colleagues at WBEZ have a great interactive map showing the precinct-level results of the municipal election. See how your neighbors voted here.
A bright one
Chicago florist John Caleb Pendleton arranges flowers into Black stories
Chicago florist John Caleb Pendleton recently wandered through a West Side flower market selecting Scabiosa stems, acorns, camellia branches, Grevillea greenery and blue thistle that he planned to use to create an arrangement for legendary visual artist Rick Lowe. Pendleton’s choices pay homage to Lowe’s southern roots and the colors often used in his works.
Pendleton has also created his distinct designs during events for some of the biggest brands in America.
Pendleton, a South Sider with a southern charm and friendly disposition, is relatively new to the professional florist industry. As recently as 2019, Pendleton was a youth program coordinator who made backyard floral arrangements for his wife during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The self-taught floral designer started getting attention for his work — which typically features an asymmetrical style that highlights depth and texture — after he shared his arrangements on social media. Pendleton, who tells stories of Black joy and history through his designs, soon found a community of people looking to purchase his work.
“My storytelling is very emotional,” Pendleton said. “You look at [my designs] and you just feel something from it. It’s very visceral.”
Pendleton said orders became so frequent that he quit his outreach job and started his own business, Planks & Pistils.
At his studio inside Mana Contemporary in the Pilsen neighborhood, Pendleton finds ways to use his arrangements to tell the stories while staying true to his artistic vision and style.
“I love taking different textures and mixing them and pushing the limits,” Pendleton said. “My arrangements are an experience and I create movement that has the eye always taking in something new — new color, new texture, and shifts in depth.”
Samantha Callender has more with Caleb for WBEZ here.
From the press box
- Patrick Kane today made his first public appearance as a member of the Rangers, telling reporters he’s “excited for the experience, the opportunity, the chance to play with a different organization [and] different players.”
- If you’re a White Sox fan longing for the sights and sounds of old Comiskey Park, our Jeff Agrest knows just the place: YouTube. Read Jeff’s story on a YouTube doc, “Last Comiskey,” that takes viewers inside the stadium’s 1990 farewell season.
- Could the Colts make a move for the Bears’ No. 1 pick? Indianapolis GM Chris Ballard pushed back at the combine against the idea that the team needs to trade up to find a franchise QB.
Your daily question☕
Before Patrick Kane makes his debut in New York, what’s your favorite memory of Kane with the Blackhawks?
Send us an email at newsletters@suntimes.com and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.
Yesterday we asked you: What do you think the Lightfoot administration will be remembered for?
Here’s what some of you said...
“Lori Lightfoot will be one of those mayors that years from now, we will say ‘she was an awesome Mayor.’ She guided us through the worst public health disaster of our lifetimes, weathered and finally calmed the civil unrest that became rampant when masks made identifying criminals almost impossible. She gave her heart and soul to the city. I challenge anyone to try and accomplish what she did in just four years. I love that we are a city that embraced a Black LBGQT mayor with open arms....” — Mary Jo Kuffner
“MLL should be remembered for raising the bridges in the summer of 2020 in response to protests downtown after the murder of George Floyd. Her true colors showed up that day and never went away.” — Kristen Lehner
“Mayor Lightfoot’s COVID policies may not have been popular, but they saved lives.” — Susan Danzig
“Lightfoot will be remembered for all talk and no results.” — Eileen Mitchell
“The Lightfoot administration will be remembered for the Invest South/West initiative, its focus on affordable housing and for giving neighborhoods equal standing to downtown.” — Dawn Stockmo
“Lightfoot will be remembered as someone who came from a private practice of law and failed to develop a significant loyal coalition within City Council or the Chicago voting public. She came in as someone who was seen as being a champion of police reform but did nothing of substance to improve the image of the effectiveness of the police.” — Laura Collins
“Unfortunately, her tenure will be remembered for alienating almost every interest group in the city. She may have been dealt a bad hand with the pandemic and racial tensions beyond her control, but any progress her administration made will be overshadowed by her inability to work with others and perceived lack of respect for so many in Chicago government and beyond.” — Layne A.
“What I will remember about the Lightfoot administration is how she basically did martial law during the George Floyd protests. Raising the bridges and trapping protesters. I went downtown for work and had to show my ID to a [military] guy.” — Patrick Corley
“Reversing her promises on police reform.” — Max Davis
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