Wal-Mart employee fatally shot outside Bedford Park branch

A Wal-Mart employee was fatally shot outside the store’s branch in the southwest suburbs Thursday evening.

The shooting happened about 4 p.m. in the store’s parking lot at 7050 S. Cicero Ave. in Bedford Park, a statement from Bedford Park police said.

Stephen Sims, 20, with multiple gunshot wounds in the front seat of a vehicle, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Sims, of the 5400 block of South Damen, was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 5:06 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

The person who called 911 told police they heard several gunshots and saw a male dressed in black fleeing from the scene, police said.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman confirmed Sims worked at the store.

“We’re deeply saddened that one of our Wal-Mart family members lost his life today,” spokeswoman Betsy Harden said in a statement. “We’re still learning more about this horrible incident and assisting law enforcement however we can. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

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