Starwood W-Hotel guests in Chicago lucky to be alive this morning

Hotel guests at the Starwood affiliated W-Hotel in Chicago are lucky be alive this morning after a shooting occurred near the W Hotel in the 600-block of North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago in the US state of Illinois around 1:45 a.m. Sunday. Overlooking Lake Michigan, this modern, stylish hotel is a 13-minute walk from Navy Pier and 4 blocks from upscale shopping along the Magnificent Mile. The shooter got out of an SUV and began shooting, then fled the scene.

Three men are in critical condition and hospitalized, including 25-year-old man, a 32-year-old man who also suffered a gunshot wound to the head, and a 30-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound to the left abdomen.

Police say it is unclear if the shooting happened inside or outside the hotel.

“We heard something in the hotel for sure, we didn’t know if it was on the floor or in the lobby or what was going on,” said Mike Johnson, a hotel guest when he spoke to a local TV station. “But when I came down, it was just pandemonium.”

“We are thankful that no registered guests or our talent were injured in the incident during the night, as most of the events occurred outside the hotel. We have been working closely with the authorities throughout their investigation,” said W Chicago Lakeshore General Manager Pete Demay in a statement.