A resident of Rogers Park in Chicago has raised concerns after a tragic apartment fire claimed the life of a firefighter. The resident claims he contacted the police the night before the incident, but no officers responded.
Damon McElroy shared with the ABC7 I-Team that he dialed 911 after overhearing alarming screams and threats from the individual now accused of setting the fire and causing the death of Chicago Firefighter Michael Altman. According to McElroy, police only arrived after the fire had occurred and Altman had passed away.
“I called the police due to a noise disturbance because he kept on screaming,” McElroy recounted. “He moved from the third floor, to the second, and then the first, continuing to shout loudly enough for everyone to hear.”
McElroy stated he made the call on Sunday, March 15, around 10:30 p.m., after hearing Sheaves Slate yelling and issuing threats at 1757 W. North Shore in Rogers Park, declaring, “You’re going to pay for this, you’re going to pay for this.”
Slate has since been charged with arson and Altman’s murder. Prosecutors allege that early the next morning, he intentionally set a mattress on fire in the basement, igniting the entire building.
During efforts to extinguish the fire, Altman tragically fell through the first floor into the basement, succumbing to his injuries. McElroy is left questioning whether earlier intervention might have changed the outcome.
“Is doing the right thing good enough anymore? What’s the point of calling for help if there isn’t going to be any?” McElroy said.
He said after his initial call to police when no one responded, he called back about 15 minutes later to tell them he believed Slate had left the premises, but according to court documents, Slate had not, and he was caught on a Ring doorbell camera still in the building around 11 p.m.
“‘Do a wellness check at least. Because you know that screaming could have turned into, as you can see, something more. It could be turned violent. You know, there could be a victim or something you don’t, you don’t know,” McElroy said.
Prosecutors said Slate had an outstanding warrant after failing to present himself at court for previous arrests. McElroy voicing his concerns about building security claiming, “He wasn’t on the lease. He didn’t live there. He was squatting there.”
On the day of Firefighter Altman’s visitation Thursday, McElroy told the I-Team he is still conflicted about the police response.
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“They could have done something, because, like, if you can’t see that a life is lost and people are hurting because they lost their family member, I don’t know what to tell you,” McElroy said.
The I-Team reached out to Chicago police about their response to McElroy’s call. They only said there are no updates, there is no further information at this time.
The property management company for the building, Fulton Grace, said they acted earlier this month to remove Slate from the building after learning he was there unaccompanied but had no additional notifications from residents about security issues or trespassers.
Full response from Futon Grace Realty:
“First and foremost, we are deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the family of Michael Altman, as well as all residents who were displaced by the fire. Our company assumed management of the building in mid-January of this year. On March 2, we became aware that a resident had allowed a non-resident entry to a common area of the building. While on-site that same day for a maintenance request, a staff member encountered this individual in a common area, at which point he confirmed he was let in by a resident. After further questioning the individual and discovering he was unaccompanied, immediate action was taken to escort him off the premises, confirm the building remained secure, and provide notice to tenants of this incident, along with reiterating building policies and the prohibition of unaccompanied guests. Beyond this isolated incident, we have no record of any additional notifications related to trespassers or security issues of the building, and we have followed all industry best practices to maintain a secure environment since assuming management duties of this property. We are actively working with the Red Cross to support displaced residents and are cooperating fully with the Chicago Police and Fire Departments as their investigation continues.”
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