In a heartbreaking incident, a postal worker was shot and killed while on duty in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago's South Side on Friday. The shooting occurred just before 11:40 a.m. on South Harvard Avenue.
Witnesses reported seeing a car approach the victim's USPS truck before hearing at least 10 gunshots. According to the police, the attacker, described only as a male, confronted 48-year-old Octavia Redmond and opened fire, leaving her with multiple gunshot wounds. Redmond was rushed to Christ Hospital in critical condition but was later pronounced dead.
Octavia Redmond was a dedicated postal worker, a wife, and a grandmother who had served as a letter carrier for over 15 years. Her tragic death has left her family, friends, and community in mourning. A flag flew at half-staff outside a South Side union hall in her honor.
Elise Foster, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers, expressed the fear and outrage felt by postal workers. "They need to be prosecuting them. We are federal employees. How dare you? And, you just think you can get away with it? My members are scared to go to work," Foster said. She emphasized the personal loss, noting that Redmond's husband, also a letter carrier and assistant union steward, is deeply affected by this senseless act of violence.
Residents on Redmond's route, like Kim Sanders who works at a nearby group home, are equally devastated. They described the neighborhood as normally quiet and are shocked by the incident.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the shooter's arrest and conviction. Spencer Block of the Postal Inspection Service stressed the seriousness of the crime, stating, "One of our own, a postal employee, we take it as seriously as anything, because this is why we're here."
As of Friday night, no one was in custody, and the motive for the shooting remains unknown. Area Two detectives are actively investigating the case. Foster's words resonate with the community's grief: "It was not worth it. You took a beautiful soul."
Octavia Redmond's death is a tragic reminder of the risks faced by postal workers and the profound impact of violence on our communities.
