Chicago, Illinois
February 19, 2003
Agencies: Berwyn Police Department Illinois | Chicago Police Department Illinois
Cause of death: Chemical Agents or Weapons
Last updated: about 3 years ago
On February 19, 2003, 21 people were killed and more than 50 people were injured during a stampede at the E2 nightclub after off-duty auxiliary officer Samuel Bone, who was working as private security that night. sprayed mace to break up a fight. The doors to the club were locked as people pushed their way to the exits. Berwyn auxiliary police officer reportedly worked security there regularly, but claimed he had just come to sell a flashlight to another guard when he got caught up in the stampede. A lawsuit alleged that Pellot ran an unlicensed company, Team 1 Security, that was on duty at the club. Chicago PD also opened an internal investigation into whether their officer, Donald D. Crayton, was on the club's security staff, which would violating a policy that officers were not allowed to moonlight at establishments that sell alcohol.