John Flemister, a 61-year-old African American man who worked as a doorman in Chicago’s West Loop, was fatally shot on April 12, 2025, near the UIC-Halsted Blue Line station. A verbal altercation with a 24-year-old CTA employee, Luther Hopkins III of Calumet City, escalated into an exchange of gunfire. Flemister was struck multiple times, including wounds to the head, chest, back, hip, and wrist, and was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital. A firearm was found next to Flemister and another recovered from his duffel bag.

Chicago police arrested Hopkins at the scene; he was charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon but was not charged with murder. Prosecutors said Hopkins acted in self-defense, alleging Flemister fired first. Hopkins had a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card but no concealed carry permit; Flemister held both a FOID card and a concealed carry license. The CTA says Hopkins violated workforce rules by carrying a firearm on duty and is pursuing disciplinary action that could include termination.

Family and community members held a vigil for Flemister, remembering him as kind and generous and noting his role in raising his sister’s and niece’s children. Does anyone who was near the UIC-Halsted station that day have information about how the altercation began?