Flanked by personnel in the Chicago Police Department Bureau of Detectives, Supt. Larry Snelling speaks during a news conference Tuesday at Chicago Police headquarters.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A father of four, Loyce Wright was working as a security guard at an Austin dollar store last week, when he was shot multiple times -- a fatal shooting that police now say was likely sparked by an argument with a former co-worker.
Wright, 43, who was unarmed, eventually died from the Friday shooting. The next day, the former co-worker, Rodgerick O'Neal, was arrested in south suburban Dolton after shooting at Chicago police officers.
"He was simply at the store and doing his job when his life was tragically taken from him," Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said of Wright.
O'Neal was arrested and now faces 13 charges from both incidents. He likely shot Wright because of an argument, police said on Tuesday.
The Maywood resident was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, three counts of aggravated battery against a police officer and six counts of resisting arrest, Snelling said during a news conference on Tuesday morning.
O'Neal, 36, allegedly shot Wright around 1:30 p.m. on Friday while Wright was working at a Family Dollar store, 5410 W. Chicago Ave. Wright later died at Stroger Hospital.
On Saturday, O’Neal was taken into custody in Dolton after exchanging gunfire with Chicago police officers, according to police. He was arrested in the 15200 block of Diekman Court after police received a tip identifying O'Neal and tracked him to Dolton, said Antoinette Ursitti, CPD's chief of detectives. Detectives also used surveillance footage that they said showed O'Neal near the scene of the shooting.
No one was shot, and officers recovered a firearm from O'Neal, police said. Per department policy, at least one officer was placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days as the Civilian Office of Police Accountability investigates the use of force, The police department said on Saturday.
O'Neal previously worked at the Family Dollar, and the shooting likely stemmed from an argument between O'Neal and Wright, Ursitti said.
Wright's family remembers him as a "big teddy bear" who always made time for his four daughters, his daughter shared with the Sun-Times.
"My father was such a selfless man and loved his community and took care of others as if they were his own flesh and blood and never wanted others to struggle," Shanice Wright wrote on a gofundme page raising funds for her two younger sisters.
Snelling said the department pulled out the stops to solve the case.
"I want to extend our deepest condolences to the family of the 43-year-old victim," Snelling said. "This was truly a department wide effort to apprehend the suspect … They all did what they could to bring justice to this case and the victim's family."
