USPS letter carrier shot to death on Chicago's South Side identified; no suspects in custody

CHICAGO - A United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier was fatally shot in Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood on Friday morning.

At about 11:38 a.m., the 48-year-old female letter carrier was in front of a residence in the 12100 block of South Harvard when an unknown male offender approached her, police said. The offender produced a firearm and fired multiple shots at the victim before fleeing in a vehicle on 121st Street.

The letter carrier, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner as Octavia Redmond of Chicago, was shot multiple times in the body and transported to Christ Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

"I had the opportunity to meet with her and talk to her, she’s a great co-worker," said Elise Foster, the Branch 11 President of the National Letter Carriers Association (NALC), in a social media video. "Sister Redmond will not be going home to her family and I have a problem with that."

The National President of the NALC Brian L. Renfroe said Redmond had been a letter carrier for five years. 

Renfroe issued a statement Friday mourning the loss of the Branch 11 member. 

"The 280,000 members of NALC mourn the loss of Sister Redmond. She was a public servant doing her job when her life and future were stolen from her. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends and all her loved ones."

Renfroe said lawmakers introduced the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act in both chambers of Congress earlier this year. The legislation aims to deter these crimes from happening and hold those who commit them accountable. in honor of Redmond, the NALC urged Congress to swiftly pass the bill.

This incident follows a recent robbery of a letter carrier in Bronzeville, which was caught on camera. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering up to $150,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect in that case.

"We are under attack here in Chicago," Foster said. "Something needs to happen because we need some help, this cannot happen ever again."

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects who shot and killed Redmond. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Area detectives and USPIS continue to investigate.