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Suicidal gunman shoots girlfriend working in Chicago Nordstrom

The critically injured female store clerk is rushed to a local hospital.

By Mary Papenfuss
A Nordstrom statement said the company's prayers were with its critically injured employee and those who witnessed the shooting. (Nordstrom/Facebook)
A Nordstrom statement said the company's prayers were with its critically injured employee and those who witnessed the shooting. (Nordstrom/Facebook)

CHICAGO, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- A gunman opened fire on a girlfriend as she was working as a sales clerk in a Nordstrom department store in downtown Chicago before fatally shooting himself, police said.

Police found the gunman dead and the girlfriend critically wounded. She was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

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"She was working up on the second floor when he approached her, fired one shot, which struck her," said Chicago Chief of Detective John Escalante on the scene.

"He then turned the gun to himself and shot and killed himself. It was domestic related."

The shooter, whom police did not immediately identify, had petitioned to have a temporary restraining order issued against the woman for stalking, but it was denied by a Cook County judge last April, according to court records.

The store was jam-packed with customers for Black Friday. Panicked shoppers stampeded to the doors, knocking others down, after the night-time shooting, said witnesses.

"It was a pow and a pow," shopper Michelle Smith told the Chicago Tribune. "It was a stampede coming down the escalator."

Shopper Scott Balloch told KABC7 Eyewitness News: "Everyone was just running, and like, I'm a big guy and people were knocking me over. My feeling was just, get the hell out of there."

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Nordstrom issued a statement about the shooting saying that its employee "has been transported to the hospital."

"We are actively working with the Chicago Police Department, as this is an open and ongoing investigation," it added. "Our store has closed and will remain closed until further notice. Our prayers are with our employee who was involved and those who witnessed this tragic event."

No one else was injured in the shooting.

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