Attorney says former Aramark employee at UI Health was not involved in shooting
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Attorney says former Aramark employee at UI Health was not involved in shooting
Glenn Rhymes, an employee of third-party foodservice contractor Aramark, was arrested Monday. UIC said Rhymes had a gun, which was confiscated. Rhymes was charged with entering a prohibited place with a gun and disorderly conduct. He was released from custody only to go on to shoot two people, UIC says. The university has not retracted any of its previous statements connecting Rhymes to a later double shooting in South Austin. Police sources said the 39-year-old man who was shot also worked for Aramark. The victims were taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in good condition and are expected to make full recoveries, police said. “He doesn’t know where the shooting was,” Rhymes’ attorney said.
UIC said the employee, Glenn Rhymes, had a gun, which was confiscated. UIC went on to say Rhymes was released from custody — only to go on to shoot two people.
Now, the attorney for Rhymes said that is not true.
There has been a lot of back-and-forth trying to figure out exactly what happened. The last report from UIC was that they were asking anyone who knew Rhymes to call police.
But on Wednesday, Rhymes’ attorney said police are not looking for him at all.
On Monday morning, inside the lobby of the UI Health Outpatient Care Center at 1801 W. Taylor St., UI Health said UIC police arrested Rhymes — an employee of third-party foodservice contractor Aramark — when he got into a quarrel with a patient in the lobby.
UI Health said Rhymes took out a handgun and “made a threatening statement.”
UIC said Rhymes was charged with entering a prohibited place with a gun, disorderly conduct, and aggravated assault using a firearm. All are misdemeanor counts.
Rhymes’ Firearm Owners Identification Card was revoked, his weapon was taken, and he was released.
No one was injured, UIC said, until early Tuesday morning — when the university connected Rhymes to a double shooting.
Police sources said the double shooting happened at 2:33 a.m. Tuesday in the first block of North Lavergne Avenue.
Chicago police said the victims were walking outside when a black vehicle went by, and four men inside opened fire from within the vehicle. A 39-year-old man was shot multiple times, while a 35-year-old woman suffered a graze wound to the head. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in good condition and are expected to make full recoveries, police said.
Bullets shattered glass doors in the Lavergne Avenue shooting, and police sources said close to 40 shots were fired.
Sources said the 39-year-old man who was shot also worked for Aramark.
“I don’t know what has happened since Monday — only that I got a call from Mr. Rhymes indicating that it’s on the news that they reported looking him for two shootings,” said attorney Denise Brewer. “He knew nothing about it.”
Brewer contacted CBS News Chicago. She said that she is representing Rhymes, and that police are no longer looking for him.
Brewer was asked if Rhymes has some sort of alibi to say he was not at the location of the double shooting in South Austin at the time that it happened.
“He doesn’t know where the shooting was,” Brewer said. “But again, the police department has said that they’re not looking for him.”
Chicago police do not release the names of suspects until they have been charged, and declined to connect Rhymes to the South Austin shooting. Police sources, however, have made that connection.
UIC has not retracted any of its previous statements connecting Rhymes to a later double shooting. CBS News Chicago was waiting late Wednesday to hear the university’s reaction to Rhymes’ attorney’s comments.
Ex-Aramark employee sought in double shooting in Chicago home
Glenn Rhymes, a former Aramark employee, allegedly brandished a gun at the University of Illinois Chicago Hospital. Rhymes was taken into custody by UIC police after the incident and his weapon was taken from him. He was released from custody after being charged with misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and possessing a gun in a prohibited place. He then allegedly shot two people in their home later that night.
The contract employee was arguing with a patient at the Near West Side hospital’s Outpatient Care Center’s South Tower lobby, at 1801 W. Taylor St., when he brandished a handgun and “made a threatening statement,” according to a UI Health statement sent to employees early Tuesday.
The worker, identified by UI Health as Glenn Rhymes, was taken into custody by UIC police after the incident and his weapon was taken from him. He was released from custody after being charged with misdemeanor counts of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and possessing a gun in a prohibited place, the hospital said.
Later Monday, Rhymes allegedly went to the home of another Aramark employee working at UI Health and shot them and another person, UI Health officials said. The time and location of the shooting were not released.
A spokesperson for Aramark, which provides food and facility management services, said Rhymes is no longer employed by the company.
“We are fully cooperating with the authorities on their investigation and the person involved is no longer with our organization,” the Aramark spokesperson said.
UIC police and UI Health security have “tightened access to UI Health facilities,” and additional officers have been assigned to the facilities, hospital officials said.
“At UI Health, the safety of our staff, patients, and visitors is our highest priority,” the hospital said in a statement. “We are committed to maintaining a secure and respectful environment for all who work in and visit our facilities.”
Chicago police are investigating.