A tragic series of events unfolded late Wednesday night, ending with a shootout in Berwyn, Illinois, that left a suspect in a triple homicide dead. Police say the man, 24-year-old John R. Lyons from Westchester, was wanted for a deadly attack on three family members earlier that day in Mahomet, a small town in downstate Illinois.
It all began when officers in Berwyn got a call about a man with a gun near Home Avenue just before midnight. When they arrived, they spotted Lyons forcing his way into a home on Wenonah Avenue. Inside, he allegedly shot and killed two dogs before fleeing back to Home Avenue.
Police tried to stop Lyons, but instead of surrendering, he reportedly fired at the officers. At least one officer shot back, killing Lyons. Thankfully, no officers were injured in the exchange.
What makes this case even more chilling is what happened earlier in Mahomet. Around 9:40 p.m., police there found three family members shot inside a home on Riverside Drive. Two of them, 61-year-old Janis L. Mason and 23-year-old Caleb M. Mason, were rushed to the Carle Foundation Hospital Emergency Department in Urbana, where they were pronounced dead. The third victim, 26-year-old Sara E. Mason, died at the scene.
Authorities believe Lyons was responsible for the Mahomet killings, which have shaken both communities. The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force is now leading the investigation into the Berwyn shooting, while the investigation into the Mahomet homicides is also ongoing. At this point, no additional details have been released.
This heartbreaking situation has left many questions unanswered, and both investigations are still in the early stages. For now, the focus remains on piecing together what led to this series of tragic events.
