Clemmie Henderson

Mass Murderer

Clemmie Henderson and the 1988 Chicago Shooting Rampage

Overview

On September 22, 1988, Clemmie Henderson carried out a deadly shooting rampage on Chicago's Near West Side. The violence began inside an auto-parts business on South Ashland Avenue and continued across the street at Moses Montefiore School, an institution serving children with serious emotional and behavioral difficulties. Henderson killed four people and wounded two others before a critically injured Chicago police officer returned fire and stopped him. Henderson was 40 years old at the time of the attack. He was armed with a .38-caliber revolver and carried additional ammunition in his pockets. Investigators never established a clear motive or found evidence that he had a personal grievance against the people he killed. The victims appeared to have been selected largely because they happened to be in his path.

Clemmie Henderson's Background

Clemmie Henderson was born on November 26, 1947. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam era, entering military service on December 8, 1966, and leaving on April 24, 1970. Contemporary reports described him as a Vietnam veteran who had struggled emotionally after returning home. His family said he had developed mental-health problems connected to his military experiences and had been taking medication for depression. Henderson had also experienced legal and behavioral problems. His criminal record reportedly included arrests for battery, disorderly conduct and drug-related offenses. In January 1973, Cook County Jail officials sent him to the Chicago-Reed Mental Health Center for evaluation. He later worked at different times as a hairdresser and model. By September 1988, he was divorced and the father of three children. People who knew Henderson recalled periods of anger and unusual behavior, but no specific warning explained why he became violent on the morning of September 22. Police found no confirmed connection between Henderson and Moses Montefiore School. They also found no established dispute between him and the employees of Comet Auto Parts.

Unusual Behavior Before the Shooting

Shortly before the attack, Henderson went to the Chicago Lumber and Construction Company at 1238 South Ashland Avenue. He reportedly asked about obtaining work as an armed security guard. After being told that the owners were unavailable, he entered a nearby car-wash area in the same building. Witnesses said Henderson sat silently on a makeshift sofa for approximately 15 minutes with his eyes closed. He then stood up and left without explaining himself. A few minutes later, at approximately 10:00 a.m., he entered Comet Auto Parts at 1334 South Ashland Avenue and began shooting. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Arthur Baker 34 yr old Male

Gunman Kills 4 in Chicago