Justin McCauley, a 36-year-old lorry driver and father, was shot dead outside a convenience store in Chicago after warning a shop worker about masked men in the car park. His warning reportedly enabled the worker to lock the door before the suspects opened fire and then robbed the premises, prompting his family to describe his actions as heroic. The case highlights continuing concerns over violent crime and armed robberies in the city.

Police said four men arrived in a white Hyundai shortly before 3am on Tuesday at a Thornton’s store in Brighton Park. McCauley was shot in the head, neck and chest; officers found an empty holster on him, suggesting he may have returned fire, and blood believed possibly to belong to a suspect was found on ten 9mm shell casings. His family has called for justice, while an online fundraiser set up by his mother had raised more than $6,000.