Singer Danny Boy Steward was looking forward to serenading his fans with love songs Wednesday evening at City Winery, as he did at the popular West Loop venue about six months ago.
But a night planned for romance and positive vibes quickly turned tearful and chaotic when an employee was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a co-worker, before the show started.
The shocking attack left Francois H. Reed-Swain, 47, dead within about an hour and a 41-year-old Clarence Johnson, of Bellwood, in custody on a first-degree murder charge.
Wednesday “was a really tough day,” Steward, an R&B, soul and gospel artist for over 30 years, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “I was just going to work, going to do what I love to do, [which is] sing love songs, sing songs to make people feel good, and to know it ended up like that is horrible.”
Cook County prosecutors said in court Friday that several people witnessed the attack and that at least some of the stabbing was captured on surveillance video at the restaurant.
A bartender cutting up fruit at a bar saw Johnson, who worked as a dishwasher, approach the bar area and make statements “praising Jesus” before Johnson laid down on the ground face-down, prosecutors said.
Reed-Swain, who was working as a server, asked Johnson why he was lying on the ground, and then both walked away, prosecutors said.
Soon after, Johnson was seen striking Reed-Swain with his fist and then chasing the older man into a dining area where he stabbed him repeatedly with a pocket knife, prosecutors said. A manager allegedly told Johnson to drop the knife, which he did, and emergency personnel were called.
Reed-Swain was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Thursday determined Reed-Swain died of multiple stab wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.
Johnson was taken into custody by responding officers, and the knife was recovered at the scene. He was identified as the person who attacked Reed-Swain by at least three people.
Prosecutors said Johnson has a history of convictions for drug offenses and for a weapons charge, arguing to Judge Deidre Dyer that the apparent randomness of the attack and his criminal record were reasons Johnson should be denied release as the case continues.
An assistant public defender argued that Johnson had worked at the restaurant for about a year and that his co-workers expressed shock over the attack, which would indicate they didn’t consider him to be a dangerous person, and said Johnson may pursue a self-defense claim.
Dyer agreed with prosecutors, stating that the attack appeared unprovoked, and ordered Johnson detained. His next court date was set for June 12.
A normal night turned traumatic
Steward and his band were in the middle of a sound check in the entertainment room about 5 p.m. when a worker who handles bookings rushed in and told them there was an emergency in the building, at 1200 W. Randolph St.
After about 15 minutes, their gig was canceled, and everyone had to leave.
As the situation unfolded, the crooner and his band evacuated to an alley with “at least 10 employees.” Some of them, Steward said, were in tears.
Steward recalled briefly meeting and speaking to Reed-Swain after he and the band got there. He described him as “very kind.”
“He just seemed pretty excited to see the show for the night,” Steward said.
‘That’s all we can do’
Michael Dorf, chairman and CEO of City Winery, said the restaurant was closed Thursday to offer counseling to employees, “given this traumatic event.”
“This tragic episode of random violence is so unnecessary in this messed-up world, especially in a place where we try and foster joy with music, food and good people,” Dorf said in a statement. “Our thoughts remain with [the] team member’s family who died.”
For Steward, a West Side native, the public killing changed his perception of violence in the city.
“You almost feel not safe everywhere you go now, and this is proof of it,” said Steward, who added he has had a tough time processing what happened.
“We just have to do better, because there’s so much hatred going around in the city,” Steward said. “I’m pretty scared to see what the city’s gonna go through this summer. I just keep [the city] in my prayers, and that’s all we can do.”
Contributing: Kade Heather
