PHOTO: OCTAVIA REDMOND/FACEBOOK
In a tragic incident that has left a community in mourning, a beloved U.S. Postal Service carrier was fatally shot while working her mail route in Chicago. Authorities are actively searching for a suspect in the brutal daylight attack.
Octavia Redmond, 48, was delivering mail in the West Pullman neighborhood when she was shot multiple times in front of a home around 11:40 a.m. on Friday, July 19. The assailant fled the scene in a vehicle.
A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, told FOX 32 that Redmond had just delivered her mail when she heard multiple shots. The witness described hearing the gunfire shortly after Redmond had left her porch.
Local residents are devastated by the loss of Redmond, who was affectionately known in the neighborhood. “She was like a mother to the neighborhood,” a local worker told KCBD. Kim Sanders, a resident, expressed her grief, saying, “My heart is shattered because she was a nice lady. She just came up and down the block and delivered the mail, didn’t bother nobody.”
Redmond had been a dedicated employee of the postal service for 15 years, according to ABC 7. Her commitment and kindness made her a beloved figure in the community, making her untimely death all the more painful for those who knew her.
Police are investigating whether Redmond was the victim of a targeted attack, but no arrests have been made yet, according to Fox 32. Authorities are also examining a potential lead involving a car believed to be connected to the killing, which was found burned on the city’s South Side on Saturday, July 20.
In an effort to bring those responsible to justice, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has announced a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. They made the announcement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The community and law enforcement are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Tips can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455.
As the investigation continues, Redmond’s family, friends, and neighbors are left grappling with the loss of a cherished community member whose life was tragically cut short.
