Shooting in Chicago: 1 shot in White Palace Grill restaurant with DNC participants inside

CHICAGO (WLS) — A man was injured as he left the White Palace Grill restaurant in the South Loop, where DNC attendees had gathered on Thursday evening.

The restaurant on the corner of Canal and Roosevelt reopened to diners Friday morning after Chicago police said shots were fired inside the restaurant around 3 a.m.

“All of a sudden we heard gunshots,” said Colorado DNC delegate Javier Mabrey. “They were very, very close.”

Among the guests at the time were delegates from the DNC who had come to the dinner in late summer following the party convention.

“We all immediately knelt under the tables and thought there was someone in the restaurant who was going to shoot every single person there,” Mabrey said. “That's what it felt like at the time, because there was shooting in the restaurant. I think about half the restaurant was full of people from the DNC.”

Security guard Denard Allison, who works at the restaurant, had just finished work when he said a man entered the restaurant holding what appeared to be alcohol.

The man became agitated and started arguing with the security guard on duty, he said.

“He had a large cup of alcohol in it, and there is a no-drink policy out here,” Allison said. “If you come in, we have to stop you at the door and make sure you don't let anyone in with alcohol, anyone who is drunk or aggressive.”

Chicago police said the gunman opened fire as someone was leaving the restaurant.

A 42-year-old man was shot multiple times and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition while the suspect fled, police said.

The employees were shocked on Friday morning.

“Because of what's happening here, they've called for security,” Allison said. “So they're really scared.”

According to police, a 42-year-old man was in the restaurant at around 2:58 a.m. As he was leaving the restaurant, a male suspect shot at him, hitting him several times.

The suspect fled the scene and the victim was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition, police said.

A manager said there were several customers in the restaurant when a man entered the restaurant. He became agitated, started arguing with people and then fired shots, the manager said.

The manager said it was not clear what exactly he was upset about or who he was arguing with.

Some of these customers were DNC delegates who came to the nightspot for dinner after the convention.

“We all immediately knelt under the tables and thought that someone was in the restaurant who was going to shoot every single person there,” said Colorado delegate Javier Mabrey. “That's how it felt at the time, because the shots were coming from the restaurant.”
According to police, three detectives from the area are investigating, but no one is in custody.

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