Nationwide — Michael Hunter, a 36-year-old African American UPS driver, was shot and killed while trying to recover his stolen truck on Chicago’s South Side. Police are investigating the shooting, and his family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
According to ABC 7 Chicago, police found Hunter early Sunday morning in the 8000-block of South Hermitage Avenue in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. He had been shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family said Hunter had just visited his mother when he realized his UPS truck had been stolen. He then went out searching for it, hoping to recover it himself. Investigators later located the stolen truck about three miles from where he was killed.
Loved ones said Hunter was a dedicated father of three who worked hard to support his family. He had recently bought a home with his fiancée, Ryan Mitchell, who described their close bond. “Michael meant everything to me; Michael was my heart, my soul,” she said.
His sister, Tori O’Hearn, said he was always someone the family could rely on. “Whenever you called, he was there,” she said. His stepdaughter, Brooklyn Nailer, said she had hoped he would be there for major life milestones, “I thought he would see me graduate and walk the stage.”
Hunter’s father, Michael Hunter Sr., who also worked as a long-haul UPS driver, said they often drove together as partners. “They took my son, my driving partner,” he said tearfully. Hunter grew up in Auburn Gresham and was well-known in the neighborhood. The family has posted flyers in the area and continues to ask the public for any information that could help the case.
Philanthropist Early Walker joined the call for justice, saying, “Look at the hurt, and look at the pain you’ve caused. This family did not deserve this.” CPD Area Two Detectives are actively investigating, but police have not released details about the shooter or motive.