CHICAGO (WLS) — A resident of Rogers Park reported contacting authorities the night before a tragic apartment fire, which resulted in the death of a Chicago firefighter. He now questions whether a timely response could have averted the disaster.
In an interview with the ABC7 I-Team, Damon McElroy recounted calling 911 due to unsettling screams and threats from the individual now facing charges of arson and the murder of firefighter Michael Altman. McElroy claims that despite his call, the police only arrived after the fire had taken place and Altman had lost his life.
“I reached out to the police because of a noise issue. The man wouldn’t stop screaming. His voice echoed from the ground floor to the third, and it was impossible to ignore,” McElroy explained.
He mentioned making the call on Sunday, March 15, at approximately 10:30 p.m., after hearing Sheaves Slate shouting and issuing threats at the address 1757 W. North Shore in Rogers Park. Slate allegedly yelled, “You’re going to pay for this, you’re going to pay for this.”
This week, Slate was charged with arson and the murder of Altman. During a court appearance, prosecutors alleged that early the next morning, he deliberately set a mattress on fire in the building’s basement, which led to the destructive blaze.
Altman fell through the first floor into the basement while battling that fire, later dying from his injuries. McElroy is left wondering if more could have been done.
“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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