Police said gunfire erupted before dawn near State Street and Grand Avenue, forcing road closures during the morning commute.
CHICAGO, IL — A 30-year-old man was killed and a 65-year-old man was wounded early Wednesday in a River North shooting that shut down State Street and Grand Avenue for several hours, Chicago police said.
The shooting drew a large police response to one of downtown Chicago’s busiest hotel and office areas. Investigators marked more than 100 shell casings, reviewed surveillance video and canvassed nearby buildings after gunfire broke out about 3:20 a.m. in the 500 block of North State Street. No arrests had been announced by midday Wednesday.
Police said the two men were outside when they heard gunshots and felt pain. The 30-year-old man was struck multiple times and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He later died there. The 65-year-old man was shot in the foot and taken to the same hospital, where he was listed in fair condition. Video from the area showed police tape stretched across parts of State Street and Grand Avenue as officers worked near hotels, restaurants and office buildings.
A hotel employee near the Royal Sonesta Chicago River North said he heard repeated shots, but the hotel said no guests or staff members were involved. Surveillance video shown to ABC7 by a hotel employee appeared to show people getting out of a light-colored sedan with large guns and firing before driving away. Guest Cindy Monroe said she first thought the sounds were fireworks. “I thought was fireworks, but when we looked, we’re right here at the hotel, and you look out your window and could not see any fireworks in the sky,” Monroe said.
The shooting left visible damage in the neighborhood. Windows at an office building were hit, and yellow evidence markers lined the street near the intersection. NBC Chicago reported that roads in the area reopened about 7:45 a.m. after police blocked traffic for the investigation. CBS Chicago reported the crime scene shut down the intersection for hours overnight. Police had not released the name of the man who died, and officials had not publicly identified the wounded man.
Alderman Brendan Reilly, whose ward includes the area, said in a statement that five hooded and masked gunmen exited a matte gray Honda Accord at State and Grand. Reilly said two were armed with long guns and the others had handguns. He said the gunmen fled west in the Honda, which had stolen license plates, and that police later recovered the vehicle on the West Side after it had been set on fire. Chicago police had not announced charges tied to the vehicle or named suspects by Wednesday afternoon.
Reilly said the shooting was gang-related and described the man who died as the target. He said the man was a gang member and convicted felon with a history of drug dealing and gun crimes in the area. Police had not publicly released a motive, and investigators had not said whether the wounded 65-year-old man was targeted or struck by stray gunfire. Reilly said he had spoken with 18th District Police Commander Michael Bielfeldt about adding a late-night police presence downtown during the summer and the July Fourth weekend.
The shooting happened in a dense part of River North, a neighborhood known for restaurants, nightlife, hotels and office towers. The area near State and Grand sits close to Michigan Avenue, the Red Line and several major hotels. The early morning timing meant fewer pedestrians were on the street than during the day, but the shooting still affected commuters and workers as investigators held the scene through the start of the morning rush.
Area detectives were investigating the case Wednesday. Police had not said whether they recovered any weapons, and no suspect descriptions had been released beyond accounts from surveillance video and Reilly’s statement. Investigators were expected to review video from nearby hotels, businesses, street cameras and passing vehicles. The Cook County medical examiner’s office was expected to confirm the identity of the man who died after relatives were notified.
Witnesses described a loud and sudden burst of gunfire. Monroe said she saw someone being placed into an ambulance from her hotel room window. Harris Carr, who lives in a nearby building, told ABC7 he was shocked by the number of shots. “I don’t know what you could possibly do with the 100 night shots,” Carr said. The scene later turned quiet as police vehicles, tape and evidence markers replaced the overnight traffic at the intersection.
As of Wednesday afternoon, police said no one was in custody. The investigation remained active, with detectives focused on the gunmen, the recovered Honda and video from the State and Grand area.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.