asane

Armament in Chicago Navy Pier: Raylon East charged with killing former co-workers Lamont Johnson, Peter Jennings, police say

Online Niel November 10, 2024

CHICAGO (WLS) — Saying the risk was too great, a Cook County judge ruled that Raylon East must remain behind bars for what prosecutors called the cold and calculated killings of two of his former co-workers.

East was behind bars Saturday night, charged in the fatal shootings of two former colleagues at Navy Pier earlier this week.

ABC7 Chicago is now on the air 24/7. Click here to watch

The 36-year-old South Shore resident was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon in connection with the killings of November 5.

East turned himself in days later and was arrested after authorities released images of him on public transportation.

Investigators described East as a disgruntled employee who worked for Levy Restaurants, a hospitality and catering company, before he was fired on Oct. 29.

The company said that since he was hired just over a year ago, East has been reprimanded for multiple verbal and physical abuses toward his co-workers.

In court, prosecutors said that after being released a few weeks earlier, East left his South Side home that morning, changed into a chef’s uniform and used public transportation to go to Navy Pier.

Detectives said that’s how he got into the business. Once inside, he entered a private office area near the loading dock.

Prosecutors said he confronted his former co-workers, Lamont Johnson, 51, and Peter Jennings, 47, and shot them both in the head.

Other employees eventually found the victims, who later died at the hospital.

Meanwhile, authorities said, East threw the gun he allegedly used in the murders into the lake before taking public transportation to flee. Chicago Police Department divers recovered the gun.

Chicago police launched an exhaustive search for the suspect. Police confirmed they have a person of interest in custody Thursday.

Investigators said the Kenwood High School graduate dressed in multiple layers of clothing to commit the crimes.

Authorities released security and surveillance footage of a man, who they said is from East, shedding different items of clothing at different times to avoid detection.