Early morning hours in Chicago were marred by another act of violence as three individuals were shot outside Lyon’s Den, a popular hookah lounge situated on the border of Wicker Park and West Town. It is important to note that this is not the first instance of violence to occur in the area. Last year, a shootout at the same location resulted in one fatality and one injury. Although authorities have not yet confirmed if there is a connection between the shooting and the business, this incident serves as yet another tragic reminder of the ongoing issue of gun violence in the city.
According to a witness who spoke to CWBChicago, a second gunman was observed shooting from a nearby corner, and then quickly fled the scene as a passenger in a white vehicle. The witness characterized the incident as an “ambush-style shooting” based on what they had seen.
According to CPD, all the victims are said to be in good condition. The victims include a 23-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound in the shoulder, a 45-year-old man who was shot in the left elbow, and a 31-year-old man with injuries to both feet caused by gunshots.
More than 20 pieces of evidence were marked by investigators near shell casings found in the vicinity. Some of these were located just outside the Lyon’s Den at 2123 West Division, while others were across the street from the club. A few more were found a couple of doors down. According to an officer, one bullet had gone through a window at the address of Lyon’s Den, and a car parked in front of the establishment had also been hit.
On January 1, 2023, in the early hours of the day, a security officer at the entrance of the Lyon’s Den was killed in a shootout. Additionally, another individual was injured in the incident.
Around 1:30 a.m., following the shooting incident, a man was reported to have attempted to enter Lyon’s Den while carrying a handgun. The man proceeded to engage in a gunfight with the victims, resulting in the tragic death of Austin McAllister, a 38-year-old father of six who was working as a bouncer at the establishment. Another victim, a 26-year-old man, was shot in the left calf but survived the encounter. McAllister was a military veteran and a devoted father to his children, according to his family members.
After getting injured in Iraq, my brother returned home to Chicago. The sad irony is that he was eventually killed for simply doing his job as a bouncer and turning away a patron from the hookah lounge. He wasn’t out there enjoying himself or partying. He was working hard for his children and himself. As my sister stated to ABC7 after his untimely death, “He got hurt in Iraq to come home to Chicago and be killed because he turned a patron away from the hookah lounge?”
After the shooting incident, Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd) urged the city to close down Lyon’s Den. However, then-Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown did not take any action. Eventually, the club agreed in March 2023 to enhance its security measures and restrict the consumption of BYOB alcohol.
CPD has announced that they are seeking Jimmy Chamberlain, a 31-year-old parolee, in connection with the shooting, almost two months after the incident. Chamberlain had been on parole for precisely three years, following the completion of his 21-year sentence for armed home invasion.
Chamberlain was apprehended by authorities last summer and is currently in jail, awaiting trial for a total of 12 felony charges. Among these charges are eight counts of murder and four counts of attempted murder.