Man charged in early morning shooting at Chicago’s Federal Plaza
Federal prosecutors on Wednesday filed criminal charges against a man accused of firing a gun early Tuesday morning at Federal Plaza.
Edmund J. Horvath, 36, of Lynwood, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm, having previously been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. He was due to appear before a federal magistrate judge Wednesday afternoon.
No one was hit in the shooting that occurred near the John C. Kluczynski Federal Building, according to Chicago police. A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives laid out the allegations against Horvath in an affidavit that accompanied the charges.
Security footage recorded Horvath riding a bicycle down a garage ramp at the Kluczynski office building shortly after 4 a.m., according to the affidavit.
A security officer approached Horvath through the window of a secured garage door in an effort to get him to leave, it said. The security officer then allegedly heard shots and saw flashes.
Police arrived and found Horvath alone, still inside the interior garage entrance with the bicycle, the affidavit said. But nearby, officers saw multiple shell casings and a 9mm caliber pistol.
After being taken into custody, Horvath allegedly admitted to possessing and firing the gun. He said he opened fire because people were “chasing him,” officials said.
The gunshots caused interior and exterior damage to the Kluczynski Building and nearby infrastructure.
Horvath in 2024 pleaded guilty in state court to domestic battery after being accused of punching an ex-girlfriend’s arm and damaging the windows of her 2017 Nissan Rogue. When law enforcement asked Horvath about that prior conviction, he allegedly said, “I think so.”
Horvath also faced a murder charge in 2018 following the scalding death of his 10-month-old daughter, court records show. He later pleaded guilty to reckless conduct and was sentenced to probation.
