Editor’s note: The video in the player above is from a previous report on this incident.
Authorities have identified the man killed in an explosion on the Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago’s western suburbs – an incident that prompted a bomb squad response, shut down the major roadway for hours and left drivers stranded.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the individual who died as 47-year-old Jorge Vaca, of Cicero.
Police said, at around 10 a.m. on Thursday, the vehicle in question came to rest in the outbound lanes near Mannheim in Westchester. Footage showed its windows and windshield appeared to have been shattered.
Illinois State Police initially responded to the scene but ultimately called in assistance first from the Cook County Bomb and Arson Squad, then the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, according to authorities. The Drug Enforcement Agency also joined the investigation.
Bomb squad technicians could be seen surrounding a vehicle on the Eisenhower Expressway as the roadway was shut down in both directions in the western suburbs of Chicago, snarling traffic.
Bomb squad technicians were seen surrounding the vehicle at times, but authorities would only say they were investigating an “active incident.” At one point, investigators erected a white tent around the vehicle as they continued to search for evidence.
Sky5 reporter Mike Lorber noted Illinois State Police called the incident an “explosion” multiple times in their dispatches, and on Friday, the FBI said investigators determined the incident was an explosion.
The agency said there was no evidence to indicate the explosion was connected to any other event or that anyone else was involved.
“…We recognize the significant public interest generated by the law enforcement response and roadway closures,” the FBI added, in part. “The involvement of highly specialized federal, state, and local resources was necessary to safely process the scene and ensure public safety…”
