A suspect in the hit-and-run death of a Cook County Correctional officer was being questioned by police Thursday evening.
The suspect had not been named or charged by Friday morning.
The victim, Nikkii Bostic-Jones, 38, of Plainfield, was on her way to work when she was struck about 10:50 p.m. in the 2900 block of South California, just outside of Cook County Jail Complex in the Little Village neighborhood.
Police obtained the possible make and model of the full-sized van responsible, along with a partial license plate. Using databases, they located a similar van nearby, owned by a man who lives near the jail.
Family and friends continue to mourn Bostic-Jones. The victim's husband, James Jones, said his house feels empty without her.
"I can't understand how this could happen, the person who did this just hit her like she was a piece of paper and left her there," Jones said, holding his seven-year-old daughter Nikia. "She was a sweet person and she was supermom"
Co-worker Tia Holmes called Bostic-Jones a "beautiful person."
A county social worker who knew Bostic-Jones almost broke out in tears this morning when she told NBC Chicago that she doesn't feel safe crossing the street where Bostic-Jones was hit.
"They need a stop sign," said county social worker Shauna Freeman. "Division 5 has a stop sign. Why doesn't Division 10 have one."
Local
"We actually talked about, at one point, building a little bridge over it," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who wants to see measures put in place to prevent an accident like this one from happening again.
Earlier Thursday, Cook County Sheriff's employees draped the facade of Cook County Jail in bunting as officers and family planted flowers in Bostic-Jones' memory.
Sources told the Sun-Times that the officer was thrown into another lane of traffic, where she was then struck by a sheriff's car.The officer was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died.
A corrections officer on the scene told NBCChicago that a vigil would be held Friday morning at 7 a.m. outside the Division 10 entrance. Co-workers and family members are expected to attend.
