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Afternoon Briefing

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Good afternoon, Chicago.

A federal indictment filed yesterday alleged for the first time that a gun found on a man in a Little Village restaurant parking lot in November was the same weapon used to fire shots toward immigration agents as they ran enforcement raids earlier that day.

Hector Gómez, 45, was charged in the indictment with possession of a weapon by a felon as well as gun possession by a previously deported alien. While the indictment does not allege Gómez actually fired the shots at agents, the charges for the first time connect the 9 mm weapon allegedly found on Gomez to shell casings at the scene.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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news
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents walk through a cloud of tear gas while facing off against community members at 105th Street and Avenue N in Chicago on Oct. 14, 2025. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Lawsuit over use-of-force tactics by immigration agents expected to be dropped, more evidence could be made public

The plaintiffs in a landmark injunction case limiting the use of force by immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz are expected to formally dismiss their lawsuit today, a day after agents shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis and as federal officials have vowed to return to Chicago for more large-scale deportation efforts.

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business
A T.J. Maxx store in New Hampshire on Aug. 14, 2025. (Charles Krupa/AP)

New T.J. Maxx coming to refurbished Lincoln Park tower

T.J. Maxx signed a lease for 26,000 square feet on a prominent retail corridor in Lincoln Park, and will open a street-level store by the third quarter of 2026.

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sports
Blackhawks goaltender Glenn Hall, right, makes a save against the Maple Leafs on Dec. 20, 1959, at Chicago Stadium. Hall, who backstopped the Hawks to the 1961 Stanley Cup, died Jan. 7, 2026, at age 94. (Chicago Tribune)

Glenn Hall, aka ‘Mr. Goalie,’ who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup, dies at 94

Born in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, on Oct. 3, 1931, Glenn Hall captured just about every award a player can achieve during a Hall of Fame career that ran from 1952-71. He holds the record for consecutive games started in goal at 502 — all without wearing a mask.

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eat. watch. do.
Bruno Mars performs during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter/Getty)

Bruno Mars tour will bring him to Soldier Field in May

“The Romantic” tour, in support of his fourth solo album of the same title, will be Bruno Mars’ first headlining tour in nearly a decade.

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nation & world
People protest as law enforcement officers attend to the scene of the shooting involving federal law enforcement agents, Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Tom Baker)

Minneapolis protesters vent their outrage after an ICE officer kills a woman

Minneapolis was on edge today following the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal officer taking part in the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown, with protesters venting their outrage, the governor urging restraint and schools canceling classes as a precaution.

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