Police believe a family may have been stalked before a home invasion in south suburban Harvey that left one man dead and two other family members injured Sunday evening.
Just after 7:30 a.m., two brothers were leaving their home in the 200 block Calumet Boulevard to get dinner when they were approached by two armed men wearing masks, police said.
One of the brothers was beaten outside the residence, Harvey Police Department Deputy Chief Gregory Thomas said, before both were pushed back into the home at gunpoint.
Seven other family members, including two children, ages 4 and 12, were inside the home at the time, police said.
The masked men then forced all of the adults onto the floor and opened fire, according to police. The children happened to be playing video games in the other room during the encounter, police said.
One of the brothers, 21-year-old Deon Beamon, and his father were both shot in the attack. Beamon was pronounced dead Monday morning after being transported to an area hospital. His father is expected to recover after being shot in the leg.
Police said the family had just moved from Hazel Crest into the single-story Harvey rental home within the past month. Neighbors said the residential street is typically one of the quieter sections of the south suburban town.
Local
“They didn’t say anything,” a sister of the victim, who witnessed the attack, told NBC 5. “They came in and said, ‘Get on the ground!’ and started shooting. That was it.”
Harvey police have not identified the two male suspects, but do believe the family was targeted. Authorities believe the trouble for them may have began at their previous address, but family members told NBC 5 they didn’t have any problems in their prior city of Hazel Crest.
"There are indications the family was being stalked,” Harvey Police Department Deputy Chief Gregory Thomas said.
The investigation now shifts to figuring out why, police said. Nothing was taken from the home, so robbery was not a motive, according to Thomas.
"If anyone knows anything, do not hesitate to give us a call,” Thomas said. “The public can relax. We're certain and confident this was not a random act.”
