Norman Thomas, 57, was shot and killed on November 16, 2022, during a robbery at the River Oaks Mall in Calumet City, Illinois. A U.S. Army veteran and working as a security guard at a jewelry store, Thomas was confronted by a group of armed thieves and, according to accounts, was shot multiple times despite attempting to surrender with his hands raised. He is remembered by family as full of life and a protector.

Calumet City police responded quickly; officers were conducting an active shooter training nearby and arrived on scene but the suspects fled. Authorities say three suspects who entered the mall armed with handguns and an assault-style weapon remain at large. A year after the killing, two Chicago men, Maxx Walker and Frank Adkins, both 38, were charged with first-degree murder and described by police as having served as getaway drivers, with Walker reportedly admitting to his and Adkins’s roles.

Anyone who knew Norman or has information about the suspects at large is asked to come forward.