A man who turned himself in to police has been charged with fatally shooting a woman in a Walgreens on the Northwest Side.
Louis Hicks Jr., 33, is charged with first-degree murder and impersonating an officer in the slaying of Sircie Varnado after he allegedly confronted her for shoplifting after a manager called for his help, Chicago police and authorities said.
On June 12, Hicks allegedly arrived at the store and started tussling with 46-year-old Varnado, authorities said. Hicks allegedly shot her in the face at 11:30 p.m. after she fell to the ground, police said.
Paramedics performed CPR on Varnado on the way to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Store employees told police the shooting stemmed from a possible shoplifting incident, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said following the shooting.
Unconfirmed radio reports initially indicated that Hicks identified himself as a police officer. But Guglielmi said the shooting “did not involve any law enforcement officer or agents.”
Hicks surrendered Wednesday evening at the Calumet District police station, 727 E. 111th St., police said.
Hicks was arrested before on charges of impersonating a government official in 2018, according to Cook County records. Hicks’ criminal history includes a burglary conviction in 2003, and charges of retail theft, battery and assault.
Hicks lives two blocks from the Walgreens and once worked for Monterrey Security, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Hicks is also charged with a felony count of aggravated unauthorized use of a weapon, police said. He is due for a bail hearing on Friday.
