A postal worker named Octavia Redmond was shot and killed while on her mail delivery route in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago on July 19, 2024. The shooting occurred around 11:40 a.m. in the 12100 block of South Harvard Avenue.
Redmond, a motherly figure to her neighbors and well-liked by her colleagues, had been delivering mail for over 15 years and was a federal employee. Her husband also works for the Postal Service.
According to reports, an unknown man approached Redmond as she was delivering mail and shot her multiple times. The suspect then fled in a vehicle westbound on 121st Street.
Redmond was rushed to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition but later died from her injuries. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Octavia Redmond, of Chicago.
The shooting is under investigation by Area Two detectives and the US Postal Inspection Service. There is no further information available about the suspect at this time.
Redmond's death marks yet another violent attack against a postal worker in recent weeks. Just last week, an armed robbery of a letter carrier was captured on camera, and back-to-back robberies of USPS trucks occurred earlier this month.
Elise Foster, the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers in Chicago, has called for safety measures to prevent such attacks in the future. A reward of $250,000 is being offered for any information leading to an arrest in Redmond's death.
Redmond will be remembered as a dedicated postal worker who never bothered anyone and always delivered her mail with a smile. Her loss has left her neighbors and colleagues heartbroken.
