Update: Aurora man fatally shot at Lincoln Tower intended to rob suspect at gunpoint, police say

DeKALB - A 21-year-old Aurora man who was fatally shot outside Lincoln Tower apartment complex in DeKalb Thursday night had attempted to rob the suspected shooter at gunpoint, police said Friday.

According to new information released by the DeKalb Police Department Friday afternoon, the Aurora man had threatened the alleged shooter, who police identified as Princeston Mack, of DeKalb, and attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Mack then allegedly shot the Aurora man, fatally wounding him, police said.

Charges for Mack, who is being held at DeKalb County Jail, remain pending, according to a news release from the DeKalb Police Department. In an interview Friday morning, DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd said the investigation remains ongoing.

“This ended up being a homicide,” Byrd said. “There was a shooting there and there was a victim who succumbed to his injuries.”

The City of DeKalb sent out an emergency safety alert around 11 p.m. warning residents to avoid the area after a shots fired incident.

According to DeKalb police, officers arrived in the 1100 block of West Lincoln Highway to the Lincoln Tower apartment complex parking lot shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday, and discovered a vehicle had crashed into a concrete retaining wall.

The driver of that vehicle, later identified as the 21-year-old Aurora man, who’s name is not being released at this time, was found shot, and transported to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.

According to newly released information, a DeKalb police investigation found that the Aurora man had pulled into the Lincoln Tower parking with some friends, and two men exited the car, approaching Mack. The Aurora man threated Mack and said he was going to rob him. Mack attempted to retreat, police said, and the 21-year-old pulled out a gun and threatened Mack with it.

Mack, also armed with a firearm, police said, allegedly began shooting at the Aurora man, wounding him as he attempted to run back to his car and drive away, but then crashed into the retaining wall.

Byrd said he didn’t know how many shots were fired or what type of firearm was used, but several bullets were fired.

“The offender is in custody, taken into custody without incident,” Byrd said.

Byrd said he didn’t know exactly how many times or where the man had been shot, and police are not yet identifying the victim pending notification of next of kin.

The shooter was not in the Lincoln Tower parking lot when police arrived, Byrd said. DeKalb police obtained a search warrant to search Mack’s residence and an arrest warrant.

Mack was arrested by DeKalb police in the Lincoln Tower parking lot late Friday morning, Byrd said.

“But he was apprehended this morning at the same location,” he said. “He has not been charged at this point. [The investigation] is in preliminary stages.”

Byrd said at this time, police don’t believe anyone else was involved. DeKalb police recovered both guns used by Mack and the deceased, police said.

Police from Northern Illinois University and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.

Update: This story was updated at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 to include additional information on the arrested man and the victim in the fatal shooting.