Teen charged in July shooting death of Chicago mail carrier

A 15-year-old has been arrested in Iowa and charged with murder in the shooting death of a mail carrier in Chicago over the summer, police announced Tuesday.

Octavia Redmond, 48, was shot on her route in the West Pullman neighborhood on July 19, according to Chicago police. According to authorities, the suspect got out of a stolen SUV, approached her and shot her multiple times at close range before fleeing in the vehicle, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

Redmond later died at an area hospital.

The Chicago Police Department said in a news release that its officers, along with U.S. Marshals, arrested the teenager Monday in Cedar Rapids on a murder warrant. He was extradited to Chicago, where he has been charged as a juvenile with first-degree murder.

The suspect appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered held in custody, the Cook County State’s Attorney Office said in an email.

His next court date is Nov. 1.

Police said in a post on X that investigators used footage from police and private cameras to identify the teen and trace his movements before and after the shooting. The department said that investigators also received an anonymous tip identifying the suspect and that they are searching for “additional offenders."

Police and the state's attorney's office did not answer questions about whether the teen has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.

The USPS is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any suspects.

“When members of our postal family are targeted, postal inspectors will not rest until justice is delivered on behalf of the victims, their families, and our postal community,” Ruth Mendonca, inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Chicago division, said in a news release Tuesday. “This arrest is the first step in securing justice for Mrs. Redmond. We hope this brings the Redmond family some semblance of relief. As our investigation continues, we maintain our call to the public to come forward with any information that may continue to bring those responsible to justice.”

Meanwhile, letter carrier and postal worker union members held a rally outside of the Roseland USPS station for 'Postal Worker Day of Action' to push for better working conditions.

"What will it take? Why do we have to keep begging for our protection? It had to take our sister to lose her life," said Elise Foster, President of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 11. “Right now the letter carriers are scared. We know we have to continue the delivery every day. That’s the motto. Rain sleet or snow we go. We don’t do bullets.”

A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows reported robbery cases against postal workers increased nearly 700% between 2019 and 2023.

Meanwhile, a bill was introduced to Congress in March 2024, which if passed it would allow the USPS to replace universal mailbox keys with electronic versions, along with requiring the US Sentencing Commission to treat assault or robbery of a postal employee the same as a law enforcement officer.

"I can recall in my career when if you touched a letter carrier you were going to jail," said Luis Rivas, president of Illinois state association of letter carriers. "Since I said 2020, only 14 percent of those individuals have been caught and prosecuted.”

Union members say they are pleased someone is in custody for Redmond's shooting death, but still hope for a full prosecution in this case.