Chicago police: Demoted worker shoots, critically wounds CEO before killing self

CHICAGO – A demoted worker shot and critically wounded his company’s CEO before fatally shooting himself Thursday inside a downtown Chicago office building in the bustling financial district, police said.

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said a worker at a technological company pulled a gun after entering the 17th-floor office to meet one-on-one with his CEO. There was a struggle for the gun, and the CEO was shot twice before the gunman fatally shot himself, McCarthy said.

McCarthy said the company was downsizing and “a number of people,” including the alleged shooter, were being demoted.

“Apparently he was despondent over the fact that he got demoted,” McCarthy said.

The alleged gunman was later identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office as 60-year-old Anthony DeFrances.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital confirmed that a man named Steven Lavoie was in critical condition in the hospital, but declined to elaborate. Police said the victim of the shooting was taken to Northwestern, but messages left with police were not returned.

Police said the alleged gunman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The office is in the Bank of America building, a block from the Chicago Board of Trade and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Workers said they received emails from the building security at about 10 a.m. telling them there was a security situation in the lobby and to stay at their desks. A few minutes later, someone came over the intercom to tell them everything was clear.

“We didn’t know what to think,” said Jay Patel, who works on the 11th floor.

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Associated Press writer Tammy Webber contributed to this report from Chicago.