EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — An employee was fatally shot Monday evening at a McDonald's restaurant in East St. Louis.
The shooting occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. at the restaurant at 588 N. 24th St., according to Illinois State Police, who are assisting the investigation at the request of the East St. Louis Police Department.
East St. Louis officers responded to the shooting and arrived to find a woman who had been shot multiple times; she was taken to an area hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
“The shooters may have come through the drive-thru and started shooting, and we don’t believe the woman was the intended target,” said East St. Louis City Councilman Ryan Cason.
In a statement, the location's owner and operator said they were providing counseling to the victim's coworkers and cooperating with the investigation.
"The victim was a beloved member of our McDonald’s family, and we are heartbroken over this tragic loss to senseless gun violence," the statement said.
A sign taped to the door Tuesday said the business was closed. Two bullet holes were visible in a wall and a drive-thru window was boarded up.
“I’ve been told by the police chief that this case is his number one priority,” Cason said.
This is the second homicide to occur at the restaurant this year. In early May, one person was killed and another was hospitalized after an argument led to shots being fired both inside and outside of the store.
Neighbor Jamesetta Taylor was disheartened to hear of the latest shooting.
“It’s really sad and it just brings back memories of what happened to my son," Taylor said.
On Oct. 30, Taylor’s 17-year-old son, Christian Taylor, was shot and killed near 35th Street and Converse Avenue, just blocks away from the McDonald’s.
“Police told me my son was with some friends who started shooting at another group of friends over a girl. They told me my son was not the intended target. All this violence and deadly shootings are just so upsetting. I still haven’t been able to really eat or sleep. I think police need to do more patrolling in this area. Anyone of us could have been out here when all those shots rang out Monday,” Taylor said.