Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is embroiled in controversy after a photograph of him with Kellen McMiller, a man charged with a fatal burglary crash in Chicago, was circulated online. The picture was taken at a state-sponsored "peacekeeper" event less than a week before the incident. McMiller, 35, is now facing charges including murder during a forcible felony, burglary, and theft, after his alleged involvement in a violent raid at a Louis Vuitton store on North Michigan Avenue.
The event in question took place in Englewood, where Pritzker appeared alongside community members working to reduce neighborhood violence. McMiller was photographed standing next to the governor, an image that was initially included in a press release but has since been scrubbed from state websites following the revelation of his criminal activities.
The burglary occurred just before dawn on September 11, when a group used a pickup truck to break through the store's glass doors. Surveillance footage appears to show masked individuals entering the store and exiting with merchandise valued at nearly $700,000. Police responded swiftly, pursuing several getaway vehicles. A stolen black Kia, allegedly driven by McMiller, sped down Michigan Avenue at over 77 mph, ran red lights, and ultimately crashed into a Honda CR-V, killing 40-year-old Mark Arceta, who was on his way to his last shift at Northwestern University before paternity leave.
The tragedy has been compounded by the fact that Arceta's wife gave birth shortly after his death, a detail that has sparked public outrage. The incident has cast a shadow over the governor's peacekeeper initiative, which Pritzker has championed as a more effective solution to community violence than increasing police presence.
Former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel has criticized the program and the governor's administration for a lack of accountability and positive outcomes. McMiller's criminal history, which includes arrests outside Illinois, raises questions about the vetting process for participants in state-backed events.
Governor Pritzker, seen as a potential candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, now faces political repercussions. Republicans have pointed to the photo with McMiller as indicative of flawed criminal justice policies and a lapse in judgment. The governor's office has not yet provided an explanation for the oversight.
