Bucktown Restaurant Owner in Stable Condition Following Shooting

The co-owner of the Bristol is in stable condition following an attempted carjacking Wednesday afternoon near his Bucktown restaurant.

John Ross, a co-founder of B. Hospitality, was shot shortly after noon Wednesday on the 2000 block of West Shakespeare, according to police. Two men approached the 49-year-old and demanded his car. One of the men shot Ross in the leg. Ross was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital. A restaurant spokesperson says he’s in stable condition and expected to go undergo surgery later on Thursday.

ABC Chicago reports that the men took Ross’ phone and that no one is in custody. Beyond Bristol, Ross’ B. Hospitality also owns Formento’s and Nonna’s in West Loop, and together with Boka Restaurant Group they operate Swift & Sons steakhouse in Fulton Market. When the Bristol opened in 2008, it broke ground as an approachable restaurant with a farm-to-table focus and ambitious cooking. Such qualities were rarely seen in restaurants away from downtown.

The news was shared online via neighborhood Facebook groups where there’s been conflict brewing for months over public safety in Bucktown, a conversation that includes worries about racial profiling, training, and accountability. Block Club Chicago had reported a fledgling neighborhood group had enacted plans to hire a private security force to patrol the streets after 2021 saw 53 more carjackings versus 2022 for the 14th police district (which includes Bucktown and Logan Square). These armed guards would patrol “Armitage Avenue to the north, Damen Avenue to the west, North Avenue to the south and Paulina Street to the east,” according to Block Club. The shooting took place just north of those boundaries.