In the early light of July 28, 2025, Vernon Thompson, age 41 and male, was found unresponsive outdoors on the West Side of Chicago, in the 800 block of South Kolmar Avenue. He had been shot multiple times—wounds to his back and arm—and first responders rushed him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The quiet residential block, just waking to a Monday morning, became a taped-off scene as detectives traced shell casings and canvassed for witnesses.
By mid-morning, authorities publicly identified the victim as Vernon Thompson, age 41, and confirmed the time and place of the attack. Neighbors described a jolting start to the day as police vehicles and ambulances converged on the street, while investigators worked to reconstruct the final moments before Thompson collapsed on the pavement. Early local reports, issued before identification was released, matched the time and block and noted he had been transported in critical condition.
Police said no arrests had been made and assigned the case to Area 4 detectives, who continued to gather video and interview potential witnesses. Officials did not announce any suspects or motives in the hours and days immediately following the shooting, and no public updates indicated a change in that status. As the case entered the homicide rolls kept by local journalists and memorial sites, Vernon Thompson, age 41 and male, remained another name added to Chicago’s records for that summer, with investigators asking anyone with information to come forward.
