Tessa Quinn
On November 19, 2018, an active shooter attack took place at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, killing four people, including the gunman, and injuring several others. The perpetrator was identified as Juan Lopez, a 32-year-old former fiancé of one of the victims, Dr. Tamara O'Neal, an emergency room physician at the hospital. Lopez had a history of domestic disputes and had made threats with guns prior to the incident. This tragic event sent shockwaves through the community and raised concerns about gun violence and safety in healthcare institutions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | November 19, 2018 |
| Location | Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois |
| Gunman | Juan Lopez |
| Victims | Dr. Tamara O'Neal, Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, Pharmacy Resident Dayna Less |
| Gunman's motive | A domestic dispute with his ex-fiancé, Dr. Tamara O'Neal |
| Gunman's age | 32 |
| Gunman's occupation | Associate Program Specialist at Chicago Housing Authority, Graduate Student at DePaul University |
| Weapons used by the gunman | 9mm pistol |
| Number of shots fired by the gunman | About 40 |
| Number of victims | 4, including the gunman |
| Previous threats by the gunman | Threatened to shoot up the Chicago Fire Academy, made threats with guns in the past |
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What You'll Learn
Gunman Juan Lopez's history of threats and violence
Juan Lopez, the 32-year-old gunman responsible for the Mercy Hospital shooting in Chicago, Illinois, had a history of aggressive behaviour, threats, and violence.
Lopez had a troubled history, including at least two troubled romantic relationships and lengthy domestic court actions. He shot and killed his former fiancée, Dr. Tamara O'Neal, a Chicago police officer, and a hospital pharmacy resident. O'Neal had called off her wedding to Lopez in September 2018, two months before the shooting.
Lopez had previously threatened to shoot up the Chicago Fire Academy after being terminated as a trainee there for improper conduct towards women and aggressive behaviour. He was accused of shoving female cadets and acting aggressively towards them. In 2014, his then-wife, Monica De Asa, filed a petition for an order of protection against him, alleging threats, harassment, and unsafe and threatening conduct with a gun. De Asa claimed that Lopez had slept with a pistol under his pillow, which was accessible to their young child.
Court records from 2014 and 2015 revealed that Lopez had brandished a weapon against several people and threatened to show up at his estranged wife's workplace and cause trouble. He had also sent threatening text messages to De Asa, stating that he would "come to [her] job and cause a scene." Lopez had ongoing child support issues and refused to inform De Asa of his whereabouts or employment.
Lopez had a valid Illinois Firearm Owners Identification card and a concealed carry permit. In the five years before the shooting, he had purchased four weapons.
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Lopez's history of troubled relationships and domestic disputes
Juan Lopez, the gunman behind the Mercy Hospital attack, had a history of troubled relationships and domestic disputes. He was involved in at least two troubled romances and lengthy domestic court actions. Lopez's ex-wife, Monica De Asa, accused him of brandishing a weapon against several people and threatening to show up at her workplace. In their 2015 divorce filing, De Asa cited "constant infidelity and abuse" as reasons for their separation. Lopez also had ongoing child support issues and refused to disclose his workplace or living address to De Asa.
Lopez had previously threatened to shoot up the Chicago Fire Academy after being terminated from his position as a trainee there due to improper conduct toward women and aggressive behaviour. He was also involved in a domestic dispute with his former fiancée, Tamara O'Neal, the ER doctor who was one of the victims of the Mercy Hospital shooting. O'Neal had called off their wedding a few months before the shooting, and Lopez had shown up at the hospital to retrieve the engagement ring he had given her.
Lopez had a valid firearm owner's identification card and a concealed carry gun permit. In the five years before the shooting, he had purchased four weapons. His history of troubled relationships and domestic disputes, combined with his access to firearms, contributed to the tragic outcome of the Mercy Hospital attack.
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The victims: Dr. Tamara O'Neal, Officer Samuel Jimenez, and Dayna Less
On November 19, 2018, a shooting incident at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, left three people dead: Dr. Tamara O'Neal, Officer Samuel Jimenez, and Dayna Less. The gunman, later identified as Juan Lopez, was the former fiancé of Dr. Tamara O'Neal, one of the victims.
Dr. Tamara O'Neal was an attending physician at Mercy Hospital. She was fatally shot by her ex-fiancé, Juan Lopez, in the hospital parking lot. O'Neal, 38, lived near the hospital and worked as an emergency room doctor. She had earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine and completed a residency in emergency medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center. O'Neal's colleagues remembered her as someone who was greatly concerned about the toll of gun violence and had the ability to connect with patients and coworkers.
Officer Samuel Jimenez had only been a full-fledged officer for a few months when he responded to the domestic disturbance call outside Mercy Hospital. The 28-year-old married father of three was shot in the neck and later died from his injuries. His sacrifice was remembered by the Chicago Police Department, with Captain Nicole Clark saying, "He ran into danger to help save the lives of strangers." Jimenez's widow, Crystal Jimenez, expressed her gratitude for the continued remembrance of her husband by the police department.
Dayna Less was a 24-year-old pharmacy resident at Mercy Hospital. She was stepping off an elevator when she was fatally shot by Juan Lopez. Less's family filed a lawsuit against the hospital and its hired security company, alleging that they failed to follow their own protocols in response to the active shooting. The family was awarded a $20 million settlement, the largest in Illinois for wrongful-death cases involving a decedent with no dependents. This settlement was a reflection of the special person that Dayna Less was, and the unique relationship she shared with her parents.
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Eyewitness accounts of the attack
There were several eyewitness accounts of the attack at Mercy Hospital. James Gray, a witness, described a frenzied scene: "It was chaos, mass chaos," he said. Gray saw a man and a woman who looked like they were walking towards the parking lot. "The gentleman turned around and shot her three times in the chest," Gray said. "Once she fell to the ground, he turned around and shot her three more times." Gray described the shooting as surreal, "like a movie scene."
Hector Avitia, who was in the hospital waiting room with his wife, told the Chicago Tribune that he tried to get people away from the windows as the bullets started flying. "I've heard shootings," he said. "I've known people that have died in the neighbourhood like that. But something like that? No. He was just shooting like a maniac," he continued. "And he obviously knows how to shoot because he was holding the gun with both hands."
An eyewitness also claimed that Dr. Tamara O'Neal, one of the victims, ran over to a group of people for help and was on her phone attempting to call 911, telling them that the gunman would kill her. The witness also claimed that the gunman demanded a ring from O'Neal, and when she did not have it, he returned with a gun and shot her multiple times.
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Police response and shootout with the gunman
On November 19, 2018, a shooting incident occurred at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. The gunman, Juan Lopez, killed three people before dying in a shootout with responding officers.
Lopez, the ex-fiancé of one of his victims, Dr. Tamara O'Neal, shot her multiple times in the hospital parking lot. An eyewitness claimed that O'Neal had run over to a group of people for help and was attempting to call 911, stating that Lopez would kill her. Lopez then demanded an engagement ring from O'Neal and, when she did not have it, shot her.
After shooting O'Neal, Lopez entered the hospital and continued firing, causing hospital workers and patients to barricade themselves in offices and treatment rooms. Initial responding officers gave chase and exchanged gunfire with Lopez. Hospital officials stated that Lopez shot Dayna Less, a 25-year-old first-year pharmaceutical resident, inside the hospital. Less was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died.
During the shootout, police officer Samuel Jimenez was shot in the neck and later died from his injuries. The gunman, Lopez, was also fatally struck during the exchange of gunfire, though it was initially unclear if this was a self-inflicted gunshot or caused by police fire. However, it was later determined that Lopez died from a police bullet to the abdomen, despite also having a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. By 4:40 p.m., police had secured the location and ensured the safety of all patients.
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Frequently asked questions
The gunman was identified as Juan Lopez, the ex-fiancé of one of the victims, Dr. Tamara O'Neal.
Four people were killed, including the gunman, a Chicago police officer, an ER doctor, and a pharmacy resident.
The attack was the result of a domestic dispute between Lopez and O'Neal. Lopez had a history of domestic issues, violent behaviour, and had made threats with guns in the past.
