Updated: Young Woman Shot at Nordstrom Store Was Stalked by the Son of Chicago Cops

The obsessive ex-boyfriend who shot a 22-year-old woman in the head as she worked a counter of the Michigan Avenue Nordstrom store in downtown Chicago Friday evening, and then he turned the gun on himself and took his own life, was the son of Chicago police officers.

The man, identified as Marcus Dee, 31, died in the store and the woman was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she lingered in critical condition for a day. Family members confirmed Saturday afternoon that 22-year-old Nadia Ezaldein died. Her organs were donated.

Police on Monday confirmed that Dee is the son of Chicago police officers. Chicago Police Chief of Detectives John J. Escalante told reporters on the scene the shooter was the boyfriend or ex-boyfriend of the woman, who was a seasonal store employee.

Friday was the slain woman’s 22nd birthday, and her sister had flown from Florida to Chicago to surprise her, but she had to work. Ezaldein had graduated high school at 16 and was studying at the University of Chicago. She had moved to Chicago from Florida in 2009 and began dating Dee in August 2012, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The family told the Sun-Times that Dee had been harassing the woman ever since their relationship ended in December 2013.

“It was like months and months of psychological torment. I would say there was a lot of emotional traumatizing phrases and words. It was a very strange circumstance,” her brother said, describing Dee’s behavior to the Sun-Times.

A year ago in December, Dee threatened to kill the woman and put a handgun in her mouth, according to family, and she had to be hospitalized after that, reports the Chicago Tribune. But Dee, who had physically and emotionally abused her throughout 16 months of dating, would not let go and constantly harassed family members throughout this year.

At one point, in April, the victim’s sister sought an order of protection against Dee, and he sought one against her, the Sun-Times reports.

VICTIM TOO AFRAID TO GO TO COURT

Earlier this year, Dee had attacked Ezaldein and fractured her jaw, reports the Tribune, which prompted her sister, Nagah, to seek the order of protection. A judge denied the order because Ezaldein herself did not file the request and appear in court. Nagah Ezaldein told the judge her sister was too afraid to come to court.

The ongoing torment culminated in Friday’s shooting. Witnesses said Dee approached the woman, spoke with her and then after she turned away from him he aimed the gun at the back of her head and fired. Then he shot himself. Police recovered a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun at the scene.

On Monday, Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said at a press conference that Dee, in the days prior to the shooting, had attacked and beaten a male friend of Ezaldein’s.

McCarthy also said investigators are looking into Dee’s background and how he obtained the weapon. Ezaldein’s family said the fact that Dee’s parents were both police officers made them reluctant to report his ongoing abuse and harassment. McCarthy told reporters he did not think that was a factor in Ezaldein not coming forward.

THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING

Customers who packed the store for Black Friday shopping rushed out after the shots were fired, witnesses said. The shooting took place about 8:20 p.m. on the second floor of the store at 55 E. Grand Ave. in The Shops at North Bridge.

“It was a pow and a pow,” Michelle Smith, 47, of Chicago’s Morgan Park community told reporters. “It was a stampede coming down the escalator.”

She and her daughter dropped everything and ran. When Smith got outside, onto Grand Avenue, she dialed 911 on her cell phone.

Employees urged shoppers in other parts of the store to quickly evacuate.

VIDEO VIA CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“Everyone was just running, and like, I’m a big guy and people were knocking me over. My feeling was just, get the hell out of there. So everybody runs out the back and I’m basically saying to people, we need to get out of the building,” said Scott Balloch.

Many customers did not know a shooting had taken place, only that they were being told to leave the store.

And other customers were completely unaware something was wrong.

Mary Peyovich, 51, told the Chicago Sun-Times she was in a dressing room trying on pants and didn’t hear anything.

“I just came out of the dressing room and everyone was gone,” she said.

After the scene was secure and the victim was taken to the hospital, police found customers hiding in restroom afraid to come out, not knowing that the shooting was over.

Nordstrom’s was closed on Saturday.

POLICE AUDIO

More information as this story develops.