Chicago, Illinois – A violent altercation outside O’Hare International Airport early Wednesday morning left travelers and workers in shock as gunshots rang out, sending people running for safety.
The incident began inside the airport around 12:55 a.m. before spilling out onto the street near Terminal 2. Chicago police reported that a 25-year-old man was shot twice in the lower body during the argument. He was rushed to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital where he remains in stable condition.
Witnesses described hearing rapid gunfire and seeing chaos unfold outside the terminal. James Van Schaick, who was staying in a nearby hotel, recounted hearing a barrage of shots and witnessing people scattering in fear. Van Schaick, a public safety worker, expressed surprise at the violence unfolding at a busy airport.
One bystander, Raquel Barajas, narrowly escaped harm when a bullet shattered a window just a few feet away from her inside the airport. Barajas credited her Dollar Tree earplugs for helping her sleep through the gunfire, noting that waking up during the chaos could have put her in a dangerous situation.
O’Hare employee Mahmoud witnessed the altercation escalate before shots were fired. He recounted seeing the initial fight leading to gunfire, prompting him to take cover on the ground. Law enforcement sources recovered several rifle rounds at the scene following the incident.
Authorities confirmed that all lower-level arrival lanes at O’Hare were reopened by 5:15 a.m. after earlier police activity. An individual was being questioned by detectives as the investigation into the shooting continues.