Berwyn police shoot and kill a man wanted for triple murder

Authorities say police in western suburban Berwyn shot and killed a man wanted in a triple homicide in central Illinois after a chase Wednesday night. The persecution began on the block where far-right commentator Nick Fuentes lives.

Berwyn police officers responded to a report of a man with a gun around 11:40 p.m., the department said in a news release. The Cook County Coroner’s Office later identified the suspect as John Lyons, 24, of Westchester.

According to social media posts Fuentes made on Thursday, Lyons initially appeared to have shown up at the home of far-right streamer Nick Fuentes.

Fuentes said on his X account that during the livestreaming, the man came to his door with what looked like a pistol and a crossbow.

Fuentes, whose address was in response to his “Your body. My choice. Forever” comments after the presidential election said he would now have to “give up my life and move.”

Earlier this month, Fuentes was charged with assault for allegedly pepper-spraying a woman who showed up at the address, and court documents filed in that case confirm that was the block where the pursuit began Wednesday. Fuentes made his first court appearance in the case on Thursday, with a judge ordering him and the woman not to have contact with each other.

Berwyn police did not respond to questions about Lyons’ connection to Fuentes.

According to police, Lyons fled from police on foot and then forced his way into a residence in the 1800 block of Wenonah Avenue. At that home, he fatally shot two dogs, police said.

Police said Lyons ignored orders to stop and began shooting at officers, fatally striking the man when they returned fire. No officers were injured, police said.

Police believe Lyons committed a triple murder Wednesday in Mahomet, a small village about 11 miles northwest of Champaign.

Mahomet officers found three family members with gunshot wounds in the 1100 block of Riverside Drive around 9:40 p.m. Wednesday, Mahomet police said. One victim, 26-year-old Sara Mason, was pronounced dead at the scene. Janis Mason, 61, and Caleb Mason, 23, died at an Urbana hospital.

The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force is investigating the case, Berwyn police said.

Originally published: December 19, 2024 at 2:27 pm CST