CHICAGO – Controversy is brewing following a report that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration scrubbed from a state website a photo of the governor and a man now charged in connection with a deadly Chicago crash stemming from a smash-and-grab burglary on the Magnificent Mile last week.
What we know:
CWB Chicago reports that 35-year-old Kellen McMiller, now accused of murder in the Sept. 11 burglary and deadly crash, posed for a one-on-one photo with Pritzker at a South Side event on Sept. 5 highlighting “peacekeepers” who work in community violence prevention. McMiller wore the group’s uniform as he stood next to the governor.
Days later, prosecutors say McMiller was among a group that rammed a pickup truck into a Louis Vuitton store on Michigan Avenue, stealing nearly $700,000 in merchandise. As police arrived, one of the crew’s getaway cars, a black Kia, sped away before slamming into a Honda CR-V at Ohio Street.
The driver of the Honda, 40-year-old Mark Arceta of Skokie, was killed on his way to work. His girlfriend gave birth to their son the following day.
What we don’t know:
It’s not clear how McMiller, who reportedly had four outstanding warrants from multiple states, was able to participate in the event and pose with the governor.
Court records show his warrants came from Florida, Indiana, and Wisconsin, but details of those cases remain unclear.
The backstory:
Pritzker’s Sept. 5 Englewood event spotlighted “peacekeepers” as “trusted messengers” who mediate conflicts in high-risk communities. The governor praised them as part of Chicago’s violence prevention strategy, countering President Donald Trump’s calls to send National Guard troops into the city.
“It’s folks like these that we need more of doing the hard work of community violence prevention, not troops on the ground to undermine efforts fighting crime,” Pritzker said in a post on Facebook.
But critics questioned the vetting process. Former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel told CWB Chicago the governor’s advance team was “incompetent” for allowing Pritzker to pose with McMiller, calling the peacekeeper effort “a feel-good program” with limited measurable results.
What’s next:
McMiller is among seven men now facing felony charges, including murder, burglary, and theft. He was hospitalized following the crash.
FOX 32 has reached out to Pritzker’s office for comment on the report, including the photo’s alleged removal from the state website, which CWB Chicago said disappeared soon after McMiller’s arrest.
We’ve also requested a statement from the Peacekeepers.
Meanwhile, Arceta’s family is mourning his loss while raising funds through a GoFundMe page. His girlfriend said she wants accountability, praying the suspects are not released.
“I want my son to know his dad was so loved. He gave me everything I wanted. He was selfless, generous, and never turned his back on people who needed help,” said Roanne Masangkay.
The Source: The information in this article came from CWB Chicago, the Illinois Governor’s Office, the Chicago Police Department, Fox News, and previous FOX 32 reporting.