Mark Asber, a 22-year-old resident of Niles, Illinois, was fatally shot in the early hours of Sunday, April 23, 2023, outside the Miraj nightclub located at 8801 North Milwaukee Avenue in Niles. The incident occurred around 1 a.m. when Asber was found lying in the parking lot with at least one gunshot wound. Police immediately began lifesaving measures before transporting him to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he was later pronounced dead.
The suspect in the shooting is Alan Kettina, a 25-year-old from Northbrook, Illinois. Kettina was an acquaintance of the victim and had been employed as a correctional officer in the Cook County sheriff’s department until he was de-deputized following the incident. He was taken into custody by the Niles police.
According to the investigation, Kettina and Asber knew each other prior to the shooting. On the evening of the incident, Kettina arrived at Miraj with a friend around 8:30 p.m. and left around 10:30 p.m. before returning later. Kettina then took Asber for a drive in his Jeep, parked the vehicle in an alley behind Miraj, and fired four shots from a Glock 17 at Asber as he was walking away. One bullet penetrated Asber’s chest, causing fatal injuries.
Kettina admitted to shooting Asber and remained at the scene, attempting to administer CPR to the victim. He told police that shooting Asber was wrong because Asber's back was turned towards him, making him an "easy target." Kettina’s lawyers suggested that Asber may have been trying to push Kettina to bring contraband into Cook County Jail, which might have led to the altercation.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office charged Kettina with first-degree murder. During the bond hearing, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Jennifer Ravin requested that Kettina be held without bail, citing his history of using his position to intimidate others. Cook County Circuit Judge Anthony Calabrese set Kettina’s bail at $400,000.
The community and family of Mark Asber were deeply affected by the tragedy. Neighbors and community members gathered at the Assyrian National Council to pay their respects and express their shock and pain over the loss. The incident was described as isolated, with no threat to the broader community.
