A quiet Downers Grove neighborhood was rocked by gun violence Tuesday night following a domestic dispute that left a couple dead inside their home. Dongwei Su, 42, and his wife, Yakun Sui, also 42, were identified by the Downers Grove Police as the victims of what authorities are calling a murder-suicide. According to NBC Chicago, officers arrived at the scene to find the couple with fatal gunshot wounds after being alerted to a man with a gun inside a residence and subsequent gunfire.
Witnesses told police of a physical altercation that escalated fatally within the 6400 block of the suburban Fairview Avenue home. Neighbors reported to ABC 7 Chicago they saw a man brandishing a gun and heard a gunshot but were unaware of the gravity until police arrived. "I went to the door and saw a police officer there," recounted local resident Leo Conaghan. "Obviously, very nerve-wracking and scary."
The investigation kept the home roped off for nearly 14 hours as detectives worked the scene, with Downers Grove Mayor Bob Barnett releasing a statement to the community, urging anyone with challenges in a relationship to seek help from the Domestic Violence Hotline. "The deaths of Dongwei Su and Yakun Sui, are tragic and we pray for the family, neighbors and first responders who have been particularly affected," he said in a statement obtained by NBC 5 News.
Neighbors expressed their shock over the violent incident in an area described as tight-knit, with residents vigilant about each other's welfare. The couple was new to the neighborhood, moving in just seven weeks ago, making the situation even more unsettling. "We’ve always been just five folks just getting along, and coexisting, and looking out for each other and caring for one another," Conaghan told NBC Chicago. The presence of the couple's son, who it is believed resides with them, adds to the community's distress as they try to make sense of the tragedy that unfolded.
