Last week I wrote about the shooting death of John Flemister, a 61-year-old doorman and licensed concealed carry holder who was shot and killed by a Chicago Transit Authority worker during what police have described as a dispute over a fare. At the time I noted that I had questions about the official narrative, saying it seemed odd that a responsible gun owner like Flemister would whip out his gun and attack a CTA worker over a disagreement over a few bucks.
As it turns out, I'm not the only one wondering if that official narrative is missing some important elements. Friends and family members are now speaking out and demanding more transparency from the Chicago PD and the Cook County State's Attorney Office.
Flemister, 61, was a doorman in the West Loop who spent at least a decade working at several buildings in the neighborhood. Residents described him as warm, caring and full of life.
On April 12, Flemister was shot and killed outside the UIC Blue Line station by Luther Hopkins III, an on-duty CTA worker, police said.
Chicago police described the incident as a “verbal altercation” over an unpaid fare, and prosecutors said both men were armed. But with only a gun charge — and no murder or death-related charges — filed against Hopkins in Flemister’s death, residents and family members are demanding answers and calling for transparency in the investigation, including the release of CTA footage from the site of the shooting.
On Saturday, Flemister’s relatives, friends and West Loop residents gathered for a memorial march called “Justice for John.” The permitted march was organized by Kelly Hoffman, a former property manager who worked closely with Flemister from 2017-2022 — the “dynamic duo,” Hoffman said.
Each time Hoffman switched to manage a new building, she brought Flemister with her as the lead doorperson, she said. He had the best attitude, was the hardest worker and was loved by all of the residents, Hoffman said.
To pay tribute, Hoffman led the march to various buildings where Flemister had worked. At each stop, she brought Holton and Flemister’s twin sister, Janice Flemister, inside to share a story about his time there.
Janice Flemister started the march with a prayer, thanking everyone for attending.
“Dear heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts, asking you to lead us as we follow peacefully, seeking justice for the senseless killing of John Flemister,” Janice Flemister said. “We can go in peace and we can walk in peace, because John was about peace and love.”
The group of about 30 West Loop neighbors marched to each stop holding signs that said “Justice for John,” “CTA Hires Murderers,” and “Forever In Our Hearts.” Many of Flemister’s former residents also brought their dogs, with whom Flemister had bonded; he always remembered their names, they said.
Many at the march said the narrative of the shooting reported by Chicago police and prosecutors doesn’t add up, painting a confrontational image of Flemister they said is inaccurate.
Prosecutors contend that Flemister got into a verbal dispute with Luther Hopkins III, a CTA customer service attendant who was on duty at the time. Neither man was allowed to carry on CTA property since the state of Illinois and the CTA both prohibit firearms on the premises, but both Flemister, who had a valid concealed carry license, and Hopkins, who did not, both possessed handguns.
After Hopkins let Flemister through the station’s gate, prosecutors said Hopkins yelled something at Flemister, causing the doorman to turn around and approach Hopkins. The pair exited onto the pedestrian walkway, continuing to yell at one another, prosecutors said.
Flemister, carrying a duffel bag on the right side of his body, clutched a gun inside the bag while yelling at Hopkins, prosecutors said. Hopkins carried a black book bag, which he held in front of him. A witness stood between the two and tried to de-escalate the situation, prosecutors said.
“The defendant was threatening to f— the victim up while the victim was telling the defendant that he was ex-military, and that the victim will kill the defendant,” prosecutors said.
Hopkins saw Flemister “clutching a gun” in his duffel bag, prosecutors said. Hopkins then took a step back and fired his gun toward Flemister, who fell to the ground clutching his gun. Flemister shot back while on the ground, and Hopkins shot him again, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors and police haven't released any video of the incident, but based on their own account it sure seems like Hopkins was the initial aggressor; yelling at Flemister and then pursuing him onto the pedestrian walkway instead of returning to his office. Prosecutors even acknolwedge that Hopkis threated to physically harm Flemister, and it sounds like the concealed carry holder warned the CTA employee that he'd defend his life with lethal force if necessary.
Hopkins also fired the first shot, according to the authorities, and eyewitnesses say the CTA employee (and others) acted with callous disregard for Flemister after he'd been shot.
Dean Georgelos said he was having dinner in his apartment with his girlfriend when he heard a round of gunshots. He looked out his second-floor window overlooking the UIC pedestrian bridge and saw a man point a gun at another man lying on the ground and shoot him “about eight more times,” he said.
“We then run to our other window, and we see a man who’s now known as John [Flemister] … on the ground, non-responsive, not moving. There is not one twitch. He’s on his back,” Georgelos said.
A video Georgelos took after the shooting and shared with Block Club shows Flemister on the ground while Hopkins, on the phone, walks past him. Another worker with a CTA vest enters the frame but ignores Flemister’s body. Subsequent photos taken by Georgelos show several CTA workers walking past Flemister’s body and not rendering aid.
“Nobody offers aid. And in fact, the CTA workers all walk away. I mean, are they not held to a higher standard being a city employee?” Georgelos said.
It’s not until a University of Illinois Chicago police officer arrived on the scene, after what Georgelos said felt like a long time, that life-saving measures were administered, Georgelos said.
Georgelos says he was only interviewed by police about what he saw after a judge declared that Hopkins had acted in self-defense, which is another glaring red flag. While Hopkins was arrested on charges of unlawful use of a weapon for possessing the pistol on CTA property, it doesn't appear that either police or prosecutors ever pursued charges related directly to Flemister's death. On April 23, officers told several attendees at a Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy meeting that the investigation was still ongoing, but since then there's been no word of any additional charges filed against Hopkins.
It may turn out that Flemister really was the initial aggressor and Hopkins was merely protecting himself, but based on what prosecutors and eyewitnesses have said that seems like an awfully big assumption to make, as well as being out of character for Flemister himself. Kudos to Block Club Chicago for providing an in-depth look at Flemister's life and the large number of family, friends, and acquaintances who believe there's far more to the story of his death than what's been released by the authorities. I hope they get the answers they're looking for, but I'm not holding my breath.
