John Jack Van Dyke, 41, owner of Comet Auto Parts at 1334 S. Ashland Ave., was shot and killed on September 22, 1988, during a late-morning shooting spree that began inside his shop. Contemporary accounts and a memorial notice confirm he was fatally shot at his West Side auto-parts store.

Police and news reports state the gunman, identified as Clemmie Henderson (also reported as Clem Henderson), entered Comet Auto Parts around 10:00–10:15 a.m., opened fire and killed Van Dyke and employee Robert J. Quinn, 26. The shooter then went toward nearby Moses Montefiore School at 1300 S. Ashland Ave., where school custodian Arthur Baker was killed and Chicago Police Officer Irma C. Ruiz, 40, was shot and killed while protecting students. Officer Gregory Jaglowski was seriously wounded and is reported to have shot and killed the gunman at the scene. With the shooter dead, no arrests or criminal charges were made in Van Dyke’s killing.

Does anyone have memories of Comet Auto Parts or information about John Van Dyke from that time?