An Illinois judge was killed and a woman injured in a shooting outside the judge’s South Side Chicago home early Monday.
Chicago police have not made any arrests in the shooting, which killed 66-year-old Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles.
Police received reports of shots fired outside the judge’s home in the 9400 block of South Forest Avenue around 4:50 a.m. Monday. Responding officers found Judge Myles suffering from gunshot wounds to the body. The unidentified 52-year-old woman was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.
Investigators were reviewing footage from nearby security cameras to see if they captured images of the suspect, who is described only as a black male, fleeing the scene, according to CPD’s Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples.
She said investigators were looking into robbery as a possible motive in the attack, although no property appeared to have been taken. Police have not gathered enough information at this point to say whether or not the judge may have been targeted as a result of his job, she said.
“I think there are some patterns of robberies in the area, whether this is related to that we do not know at this time,” Chief Staples said.
Police said the woman first encountered the gunman when she exited the home as she was planning to head to a local fitness center to work out. Chief Staples said the woman exchanged words with the gunman, whom she did not recognize, and was shot. Hearing the shooting, Judge Myles exited the home and also exchanged words with the gunman before he was shot, Chief Staples said.
CPD’s First Deputy Superintendent Kevin Navarro called the shooting “a direct attack on the criminal justice system” and said the department would use every resource possible to track down the gunman.
The FBI has offered a $25,000 reward for information in the case.
Judge Myles worked in Cook County Circuit Court’s Criminal Division, and was described by the Chicago Tribune as being involved in several high profile cases over the last few years. According to the Tribune, two suspects in a 1993 massacre that left seven dead at a restaurant appeared before Judge Myles when then were arrested in 2002. The judge also ordered William Balfour, the man sentenced to life in prison for the murder of three family members of actress and singer Jennifer Hudson, held without bond.
More recently, the judge was attacked after his car was struck by another vehicle. The judge began taking photos of the damage to his car and the other vehicle when the driver got out and punched him in the face. That driver was arrested and is awaiting trial.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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