A man who this past winter was jailed after threatening violence against patrons and staff of a Boystown bar has been mistakenly released from Cook County Jail.
The release was first reported May 2 on the CWB Chicago blog.
A manhunt is underway for Shane Sleeper, who allegedly threatened to perpetrate a mass shooting similar to the killings at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando against patrons and staff of the Sidetrack nightclub in Boystown. Sleeper allegedly harassed and threatened Sidetrack employees throughout January and February, warning at one point that “Orlando will come to Chicago.”
Sleeper was initially being held in lieu of $300,000 bail on a series of misdemeanor charges but new felony charges, among them hate crime and terrorism false-threats, were presented against him May 1 after a grand jury probe. He was ordered held without bail on the hate crime and terrorism charges; prosecutors presented 26 new charges in total.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Department was reportedly not informed of the new charges against Sleeper and is working with the Chicago Police Department to locate Sleeper. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should phone 911.
CWB Chicago’s report on Sleeper is at www.cwbchicago.com/2018/05/breaking-man-accused-of-threatening.html.
Later update at windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Man-who-threatened-Boystown-shooting-captured/62786.html.