A North Chicago man was charged with fatally shooting 27-year-old Tommie Gatewood, who stood outside a Chicago liquor store to prevent it from being looted during civil unrest at the end of May, police said Thursday.
Andrew Sneed, 36, was charged with first-degree murder in Gatewood's death and two felony counts of aggravated battery for discharging a firearm, police said.
According to police, Sneed tried to gain entry into a liquor store on May 31 in the 5100 block of West Madison, but several community members, including Gatewood, confronted him and ultimately prevented him from doing so.
A short time later, according to police, a fire was started on the second floor of the building that housed the store. The Chicago Fire Department entered the building through the liquor store and put out the fire.
Once firefighters left, "the scene was no longer secure," according to police, and Sneed looted the store.
When Sneed returned to the store, police said, he saw the group of community members who confronted him about two hours earlier, walked across the street and shot three of them. Gatewood later died.
Sneed is expected in bond court on Friday.
