A pre-dawn stop for gas on Aurora’s South Broadway turned into a shooting scene early Monday, as police say a 49-year-old man was gunned down while pumping fuel at the Mobil at 300 S. Broadway. Officers were called around 3:44 a.m. and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, where police say his injuries do not appear to be life‑threatening. The shooter took off eastbound from the station before officers arrived.
Police Release Surveillance Images Of Suspect
Investigators have released two surveillance images of the gunman and say he walked up to the victim as he was filling his tank, opened fire, and then ran, according to CBS Chicago. Police describe the suspect as wearing a gray winter coat, brown pants and brown shoes as they canvass nearby blocks for witnesses and additional video. Anyone who recognizes the person in the images is urged to contact detectives.
Chief Calls Shooting ‘Brazen’ As K‑9 Teams Sweep Area
"This was a brazen and unprovoked act of violence, and behavior like this has no place in our community," Aurora Police Chief Matt Thomas said in a statement, FOX 32 Chicago reports. K‑9 units searched the surrounding blocks shortly after the shooting, but officers say they were not able to track down the suspect during that initial sweep. Detectives are now combing through surveillance footage from the gas station and nearby businesses, looking for clearer views of the shooter and his route.
How Residents Can Help Investigators
Aurora Police's Investigations Division is asking anyone with information to call 630‑256‑5500, or to share tips anonymously with Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at 630‑892‑1000 or via p3tips.com/135, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. Crime Stoppers is offering rewards of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Investigators are also asking residents to review any doorbell camera or dash‑cam footage from the early morning hours and to share anything that might show the suspect or his escape route.
Recent Violence Adds Urgency In Aurora
The shooting comes in a year where Aurora has already seen multiple incidents of gun violence. In August, a suspect in a double shooting at an apartment complex near a basketball court turned himself in after a daylong manhunt, according to NBC Chicago. Local officials have repeatedly pressed residents to work with investigators as police try to identify suspects and keep neighborhoods safe. Detectives say community tips and privately recorded video are often the key pieces that break open cases like this.
Anyone who recognizes the suspect in the released photos or who has video from the Mobil station or surrounding streets during the early‑morning hours is urged to contact Aurora Police or Crime Stoppers. Investigators say tips can be the difference between a cold case and an arrest, and that information can be submitted through the phone numbers and p3tips link listed above. Detectives will pursue every credible lead, CBS Chicago notes.
