Son says father was helping understaffed restaurant with delivery when he was killed
The shooting comes after Chicago police issued a community alert to food delivery drivers on the near west side
Published January 31, 2024
Family of a man was shot and killed while making a food delivery in Chicago Monday said he was simply helping out the restaurant he managed after they were short-staffed on a dinner shift.
“I’m feeling pretty lost to be honest ever since his death,” his son told NBC Chicago in an interview. “I am not really sure what to do.”
According to police, a 53-year-old man, identified as Jing Lei, was driving around 6:30 p.m. in the 5700 block of South Sangamon Street when he was struck by gunfire. Lei, who was shot multiple times in the chest, then crashed into a parked vehicle. He later died at a nearby hospital.
The victim’s son spoke to NBC Chicago about the tragedy, too fearful to show his face on camera, he asked to remain anonymous for safety concerns.
“It was a real shame that he works so hard to support his family all this time, but didn’t get to make to retirement and enjoy life,” he said.
The son said Lei was a manager at a Chinese restaurant and a chef.
“My dad is a restaurant manager and chef unfortunately we were short on staff that day and we didn’t have any delivery person available so my dad decided to make the delivery himself,” he said.
This shooting comes as Chicago Police issued a community alert for food delivery drivers.
Three of them were held at gunpoint just last week in the West Loop.
According to officials, at least three times last week, two armed men wearing black face masks approached food delivery drivers at West Maypole and Wood Streets near the West Loop. In each of the incidents, the men display their handguns before taking the food delivery and fleeing the scene.
According to officials, one of the incidents occurred in the evening, while the other two occurred in broad daylight.
The family said they want justice for Lei.
Community activists plan to speak publicly about Lei’s shooting and announce a reward in this case Wednesday.
No one was in custody as of Wednesday morning and police are investigating.
Food delivery driver killed in Englewood shooting, Chicago police say
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
CHICAGO (WLS) — A 53-year-old food delivery driver was killed in a shooting in the Englewood neighborhood Monday night, Chicago police said.
Police are trying to determine a motive and if the victim was the intended target in the deadly shooting.
The shooting occurred at about 6:33 p.m. in the 5700-block of South Sangamon Street.
Police said the victim was driving and delivering food when he heard shots and felt pain. The victim continued driving his dark gray Honda SUV until he crashed into a parked car and ended up on the curb.
“He was lured and it was an attempted carjacking. He attempted to get away and was pronounced dead,” said 16th Ward Ald. Stephanie Coleman.
The man was shot in the chest and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Authorities have not released his identity.
Police have warned food delivery drivers and ride-share drivers of an increase in armed robberies. Three took place last week on the Near West Side.
Community activist Andrew Holmes spoke with the victim’s son, who said his father was a chef at See Thru Chinese restaurant at 59th and Ashland, but decided to help with deliveries because they were so busy.
“His father was a chef, worked all his life, so they’re very distraught and upset. Mainly because he didn’t have a chance to retire,” Holmes said.
Bonita Bowman is a longtime food delivery driver for DoorDash and said she is always concerned for herself and other drivers delivering in Chicago during the evening hours:
“The crime is really, really bad here,” Bowman said. “You really have to watch yourself. They give you no like, signs or anything to say who you are. You are pulling up to these dark blocks and a lot of these gang members, they don’t know who you are, so you are at risk of getting shot.”
Bowman wants food delivery companies to help drivers stay safe especially as the city is seeing an increase in crime against them.
“When it’s nighttime I feel like DoorDash should have the customer come out to get their order,” Bowman said. “Especially delivering in the city at night when it’s real dark.”
It appears no one else was injured. Police did say this was not an attempted robbery. No one is in custody while police are investigating.
No one else was injured and there was no attempted robbery, police said. No one is in custody and Area One detectives are investigating.
帮送外卖途中听到枪响 芝加哥53岁华人厨师身中多枪身亡
芝加哥警局30日表示，一名53岁的送餐员在29日傍晚开车到芝城南区英格伍德(Englewood)送餐时，遭枪击致死。警方正在试图确定该起枪击案的动机，以及受害者是否为预定目标。根据指出，这名遭枪杀的送餐员为住在桥港区的黎姓(Lei)华男，受害者儿子称，父亲为芝城南郊一家外卖中餐馆See-Thru Chinese Kitchen的厨师，当天因为外卖太多帮忙送餐却惨遭不幸。
警方称，案发时受害者正开车送餐中，他经过South Sangamon St. 5700号街区时，听到枪声并感到疼痛，接着其所驾驶的深灰色本田SUV撞上一辆停在路边的汽车后停止。警方据报到场后，发现车内男子胸部中了多发子 弹，经送往芝加哥大学医院后，由医院宣布死亡。
警方说，没有其他人受伤，也没有抢劫企图，目前没有人被拘留，全案由第一区警探进行调查中。根据可靠消息来源称，该起遭遇致命枪击案的华人送餐员姓黎(Lei)。
芝警局日前才对送餐司机和网约车司机提出警告，称针对这两类从业人员的持枪抢劫案有所增加，上周在芝市近西区至少发生三起持枪抢劫司机案件。
送餐华男莫名遭枪击致死的消息传出，引发华人送餐从业人员的高度关注，一位已经送餐超过10年的华男John说，英格伍德区治安恶名昭彰，不过早期当地治安虽然糟糕，但不至于威胁到送餐员的生命，现在则是越来越失控。
John说，他四年前曾到该区送餐遭抢，之后只要看到送餐地点在比较南区，都直接拒接，「我没有枪证也没有枪枝，在目前这个人人有枪的大环境下，宁愿少赚一点保命要紧。」
华人外卖郎送餐遭枪杀的案件并非首次发生，2021年9月底在18街一家外卖中餐馆工作的卲乔明(Qiaoming Shao，57岁，音译)，在送餐到芝加哥伊大附近时，遭近距离枪杀死亡，案发地点附近居民告诉警方，曾看到一辆蓝色的轿车紧跟在邵乔明车子后面停下，然后有男子下车后朝邵乔明车辆靠近。
警方很快逮捕了18岁的凶嫌瓦特斯(Anthony Watts)，并以一级谋杀重罪提控，经过两年多的时间，瓦特斯案仍未完成审理。
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