A couple and their son have been shot dead in Darien in what appears to be a home invasion. It appears that somebody in their home was targeted and police have confirmed that those killed are the owner of an auto repair shop, Jeffrey R. Kramer aged 50, his wife Lori Kramer, aged 48, and one of their two sons, Michael J. Kramer, aged 20.

Other family members in the home who managed to escape included the dead couple’s daughter, who according to Police Chief Robert Pavelchik, hid in an upstairs closet. She was the person who called the police at 3 am to say that she’d heard shots in the home. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, John Cooper, Deputy Police Chief insisted, “It wasn’t a random thing. It was a targeted thing”.

Another son who fled through a window and a female visitor,were also in the house at the time of the attack. The perpetrators left tracks in the snow before driving off. Nobody is yet in custody and a weapon has so far not been found.

Employees described Jeffrey Kramer as a “good guy” who was brought up in Berwyn and an enthusiastic White Sox fan. As detectives continued their investigation at the home, neighbours gathered round. One of them, Aldo Costabile, aged 73, said “It’s terrible”, and added, “I was never worried – until now. This has always been a good area”.