Nightout.com |
A Chicago police source is “hopeful” that charges will be brought in the case of Jacob Klepacz, a 32-year-old West Town man who died after being severely beaten early Monday morning.
After watching Sunday’s Blackhawks game with his best friend in Streeterville, Klepacz found his way to Wrigleyville where he “checked in” at the Dugout sports bar—calling the event a “random dude party”—just before midnight.
Four hours later, at 3:55AM, a 911 caller who claimed to be a “friend” of Klepacz said Klepacz had been “jumped on” at 1530 W. Fullerton in Lincoln Park. Police and paramedics found Klepacz unresponsive with severe head trauma. He was pronounced dead at Illinois Masonic Medical Center around 4:30AM. An autopsy failed to determine the cause of death and the case is being handled as a death investigation.
Since our original report, CWB has learned the following from sources:
• The “friend” who dialed 911 has told police that did not know Klepacz before encountering him on a Red Line train Sunday night. Two other characters also met Klepacz on the train and all four went to Dugout, according to the 911 caller. These circumstances may shed light on Klepacz’s “random dude party” Facebook status. Dugout is located two doors west of the Addison Red Line station.
• As of last night, police were still working to determine the motive for the attack. They were not yet certain that the attack actually took place on Fullerton.
• The “friend” and Klepacz left Dugout together. A police source says the “friend” and Klepacz left Wrigleyville on a northbound train and the “friend”—claiming to have been drunk—couldn’t recall how he and Klepacz wound up south of Wrigleyville on Fullerton.
• The “friend,” who has a significant and very active social media presence, has not updated any of his accounts since 6 o’clock Sunday night