Chicago school worker killed in front of school

CHICAGO (AP) - A contract worker for Chicago Public Schools was shot to death as he left a school on the city's West Side.

The victim, identified by the Cook County medical examiner as 25-year-old Denzel Thornton, a compliance specialist for nutrition services, was shot Thursday afternoon at the front entrance of McNair Elementary School. Authorities say he died across the street from the school.

Police and schools CEO Forrest Claypool said the shooting "did not have any relationship to the school."

Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy said Thornton had no criminal history or documented gang affiliation, and it wasn't clear why he'd been shot.

The school was locked down after the shooting until the dismissal of class. Claypool said an 8th-grade graduation ceremony scheduled for earlier in the day took place later.