On November 5, 2024, Lamont Johnson, a 51-year-old man from Lansing, Illinois, was fatally shot at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. Johnson was one of the two victims in the shooting, the other being Peter Jennings, 47, of Chicago. The incident occurred in an administrative office in the loading docks area of Navy Pier, which is not accessible to the general public.
The shooting was carried out by a disgruntled former employee who had been fired from his job at Levy, a restaurant and hospitality company, on October 14, 2024. The suspect, later identified as Raylon East, 36, of Chicago, used his prior access to the employee-only area to commit the crime. East shot both Johnson and Jennings in the head, and they were subsequently taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they died.
Lamont Johnson had worked at Navy Pier for over 20 years and was described by his family as a caring and giving person who always helped those around him. His aunt, Candy Johnson, remembered him fondly, stating that he was a good person who took care of his children and his mother in her final years. Johnson leaves behind three daughters and a son.
Following the shooting, Chicago police launched a search for the gunman and released images of the suspect. Raylon East was eventually arrested on November 9, 2024, in the 7000 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue. He was charged with two felony counts of first-degree murder and one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon in possession of a felon.
The incident prompted a short lockdown at Navy Pier, and the area was secured by police. Navy Pier expressed gratitude to the Chicago Police Department for their swift response and extended condolences to the families of the victims.
