On a bustling stretch of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, the iconic Louis Vuitton storefront was shattered on September 11, 2025, in a brazen smash-and-grab that left a community reeling and reignited debate about how best to tackle violent crime in America’s cities. The suspects—seven men in all—made off with nearly $700,000 in designer goods, but their reckless flight ended in tragedy: a high-speed crash that killed 40-year-old Mark Arceta, an expectant father on his way to his last work shift before paternity leave. His son was born the next day, never to meet his father.
The case would have been shocking enough, but what drew national attention was the involvement of Kellen McMiller, a 35-year-old anti-violence worker and participant in the state-funded Peacekeepers program. Just six days before the fatal robbery, McMiller had posed for a photo with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker at an Englewood event, where the governor praised the Peacekeepers as “trusted messengers” and touted their efforts to reduce violence. The photo was featured in a press release before being hastily removed once McMiller’s alleged involvement in the crime came to light, as reported by ABC7 and CWBChicago.
McMiller’s arrest exposed a troubling reality: he had four outstanding warrants—one each in Illinois, Florida, Indiana, and Wisconsin. According to court records cited by Fox 32 Chicago and The Post Millennial, McMiller’s criminal background included drug charges, domestic battery, armed robbery, probation violations, and a 2021 arrest in Miami for battery against a police officer and resisting arrest. Despite this extensive record, he was actively working as a “peacekeeper” with the group Public Equity, a partner in the state’s violence intervention network.
Governor Pritzker’s office responded quickly to the controversy, stating, “We were extremely troubled to learn that this individual was arrested for his alleged involvement in this serious crime, and we expect them to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” The governor’s spokesperson emphasized Pritzker’s commitment to fighting crime and supporting community violence intervention, which, they noted, “have been proven to work.” According to the governor’s office, the Peacekeepers Program has reduced violent crime by 41% over the past two years and now serves 31 Chicago neighborhoods and nine Cook County suburbs.
Still, the revelation that a wanted fugitive could work as a state-funded peacekeeper drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi accused Pritzker of “grandstanding” and failing to properly vet participants in anti-violence programs. “Gov. Pritzker would rather do a photo op with fugitives to bolster his leftist bona fides than do the work it takes to even figure out if his previous anti-violence programs he’s funding are being co-opted by law breakers,” Salvi told the Chicago Sun-Times.
Former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel was even more pointed, telling The Post Millennial, “Over the years, they have allocated millions of dollars to the peacekeepers program, yet there are no positive outcomes to demonstrate from a data perspective. The governor’s advance team is incompetent.”
For supporters of the Peacekeepers initiative, the story is more complicated. Peter Cunningham, a leader at Chicago CRED—another group funded under the Peacekeepers umbrella—explained to ABC7 that the program intentionally recruits “justice-involved” individuals because of their unique connections within neighborhoods most at risk for violence. “We give them a chance to be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem,” Cunningham said. “If we try to eliminate people who are justice involved, we wouldn’t find the people who could actually do this work.”
Chicago CRED’s leadership acknowledged the risks, noting in a statement that more than 1,300 men and women work as Peacekeepers, many of whom have experienced severe violence-related trauma. “Because many of them are justice-involved individuals who have experienced severe violence-related trauma, they sometimes make poor choices that can lead to tragic consequences. With that in mind, we are constantly enhancing our screening practices and additional supports.”
The Peacekeepers Program, launched under the Office of Firearm Violence in 2018, is designed to leverage the influence of community residents to mediate conflicts before they escalate. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson have repeatedly called for increased federal funding for such “violence interruption” programs, arguing that these initiatives are more effective than a heavy-handed law enforcement approach. As Pritzker wrote on Facebook after his Englewood visit, “It’s folks like these that we need more of doing the hard work of community violence prevention, not troops on the ground to undermine efforts fighting crime.”
This philosophy stands in stark contrast to the approach favored by former President Donald Trump, who has threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago to combat crime, despite data showing that violent crime rates have actually fallen in the city in recent years. Trump’s administration has also sought to cut funding for community violence intervention programs, even as studies show they can be effective in reducing shootings.
The fallout from the Louis Vuitton heist has been swift. McMiller, who was injured in the crash and remains hospitalized, now faces charges of first-degree murder, burglary, retail theft, and being a fugitive from justice. Two other men charged in the deadly crash-and-grab were ordered to remain in custody, while four more await trial. According to Fox 32, several of the suspects have lengthy criminal records, with one, Darius Bowdry, arrested 12 times as an adult in Chicago, and another, Alton Jackson, recently released on parole after serving time for firearm possession.
For the family of Mark Arceta, the tragedy is deeply personal. The 40-year-old Skokie resident was killed instantly in the crash, never to meet his newborn son. His fiancée, speaking to ABC7, described the devastation of losing her partner and the father of her child just as they were about to start a new chapter together.
Meanwhile, the Peacekeepers Program finds itself under a harsh spotlight. The incident has fueled debate about the balance between rehabilitation and public safety, the risks of employing justice-involved individuals in violence prevention roles, and the accountability of those who oversee such programs. As the investigation and trials move forward, the city of Chicago—and the nation—will be watching closely to see what lessons are learned from this tragic intersection of hope, policy, and crime.
In the end, the events on Michigan Avenue serve as a stark reminder of the complexities and contradictions at the heart of America’s efforts to build safer, more just communities—and the high stakes when those efforts go awry.
