An employee of a JJ Fish & Chicken restaurant on the Southwest Side has been charged in the shooting deaths of two customers during an argument Monday night.
Two unidentified men, ages 55 and 56, were quarreling with worker Mehdi Medellel inside the restaurant, 7828 S. Western Ave. in the Ashburn neighborhood, when he opened fire about 10:30 p.m., Chicago police said.
The younger man was shot in his face, and the older man was shot in his head, police said. Both were dead at the scene.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed the deaths but had not released their identities Tuesday night.
Medellel, 42, was found about 30 minutes after the shooting in the 1700 block of West 79th Street and was arrested, police said.
He is facing two counts of first-degree murder and will appear at a detention hearing Wednesday.
The restaurant remained closed late Tuesday morning in a strip mall near Western Avenue and 79th Street, though its open sign was flashing. There were no signs that a double slaying had occurred there the night before.
A woman who showed up to buy chicken for her workplace was disappointed to learn the restaurant was closed and was sad to hear about the deaths.
“I wish they didn’t have done that,” said the woman, who asked not to be named.
Most other businesses in the strip mall were vacant: a former Chinese food restaurant, a clothing store and a cell phone store. Employees of a car insurance business said they were closed at the time of the shooting and were unaware of the details.
Area 1 detectives are investigating.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/10/08/2-men-fatally-shot-by-employee-fast-food-restaurant