Chicago police shoot, kill stabbing suspect amid violent Memorial Day weekend

A man was killed and another was wounded late Monday night after Chicago police officers fired their weapons while responding to an attempted stabbing in the city's south Austin neighborhood.

According to police watchdog group the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, officers at 11:10 p.m. were on routine patrol when they observed a man attempting to stab another man in the 300 block of S. Cicero Avenue. Police ordered the suspect to drop the weapon and attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the suspect continued attacking, COPA's report said.

Officers then discharged their weapons, striking the suspect, the report continued. The victim was also struck by the gunfire, COPA said.

Both were transported to nearby hospitals, COPA said. The suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital, the report said. The suspect was last listed in critical condition.

In addition, two officers were transported to a nearby hospital for observation.

According to COPA, the use of force in the incident is under investigation, and the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on routine administrative duties for a minimum of 30 days.

Some roads were closed early Tuesday morning as part of the investigation, NBC 5's Lisa Chavarria reported.

The incident comes during a once again violent Memorial Day weekend in Chicago, with at least 41 people shot and nine of them killed as of Monday night.

One person also was fatally stabbed early Monday in Austin, and another was wounded in a stabbing Friday night in the Loop.

Chicago Memorial Day Weekend Violence

Among those killed was 5-year-old Reign Ware, who was shot in the abdomen while sitting in her father’s parked car in the 200 block of South Campbell Avenue about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Chicago police said. She was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she later died.

A 24-year-old man, who the family didn’t know, was taken to the same hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to the left thigh, police said.

According to a police report obtained by the Sun-Times, nearly 60 shell casings were found at the scene where a black Jeep Cherokee had pulled up and someone inside began shooting. Investigators believe others may have also fired shots from a nearby alleyway.

About 30 minutes earlier, a man was killed and three others wounded when someone fired shots in the 1300 block of South Christiana Avenue, according to police. Three of the victims were taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where the 28-year-old man was pronounced dead. A woman, 33, was in fair condition, and an 18-year-old woman was in good condition at the same hospital. The fourth victim, a 25-year-old man, took himself in good condition to Rush University Medical Center.

The weekend’s first homicide happened late Friday night, when officers responding to reports of shots fired found two men dead in Albany Park, police said. The older victim, 21-year-old Jaime Serrano, was identified by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The other man, who was 20, hasn’t been identified.

Around 7:45 p.m. Sunday, three men were shot by someone in a vehicle in the first block of East 113th Street in Roseland. One of the men, 35, was shot in the back and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said. The other two men, 42 and 49, were initially listed in critical condition at a hospital.

Just before 1 a.m. Sunday in the 1400 block of South Harding, a 39-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk when he was shot multiple times by an unknown assailant, according to police.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

A 35-year-old man was killed and two others were injured Sunday night in the first block of East 113^th Street. According to police, the individuals were standing on a street at approximately 7:43 p.m. when a vehicle pulled up and multiple occupants inside opened fire.

The man was shot in the back, and was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A 49-year-old man was shot in the elbow and back, and was hospitalized in critical condition, as was a 42-year-old man who was shot in the chest, according to police.

Just after 6 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of South Sacramento, a man was shot multiple times, according to police.

The man was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Friday, Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling said they were tackling the often-violent weekend by having officers work less mandatory overtime while also emphasizing the well-being of neighborhoods through youth and social programs. Last year, interim Chicago police Supt. Fred Waller had continued the practice of canceling officers’ days off to boost staffing over particularly violent weekends.

The gun violence during Memorial Day weekend in 2023, which Mayor Brandon Johnson said at the time was “intolerable,” left 12 people killed and 48 wounded. It was the most violent since 2016 when 71 people were shot.

“My administration will not rest, and everyone up here will not rest, until we tackle this problem and stop the violence,” Johnson said Friday.

Chicago Weekend Shootings

Monday –

• A 43-year-old man was shot in the 8000 block of South Stewart Avenue at approximately 8:02 a.m. The man was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, but police were unable to provide any additional details.
• A 19-year-old man and 30-year-old man were wounded in a shooting just after 3:10 p.m. in the 2800 block of West 21st Street. Both men were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, with the 19-year-old man listed in good condition and the 30-year-old man listed in critical condition. There is no one in custody.
• A man of an unknown age was shot shortly after 3:10 p.m. in the 6000 block of North Winthrop Avenue. The man was struck in the hand and taken to St. Francis Hospital in good condition. There is no one in custody.
• A 23-year-old man was shot to death at around 5 p.m. in the 3100 block of West Carmen Avenue. Police said the man was near the street when a gunman inside an approaching vehicle opened fire. The man was struck in the abdomen and taken to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead. There is no one in custody and the shooting is under investigation.
• A 46-year-old woman was shot by a known gunman following a verbal altercation just after 6:45 p.m. in the 3600 block of West Congress Boulevard. The woman was struck in the foot and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. There is no one in custody and the shooting is under investigation.

Sunday –

• A 32-year-old man was found in the 5300 block of South Carpenter at approximately 12:11 a.m. after being shot in both legs. Police said the man was transported to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
• In the 6500 block of South Kedzie at approximately 12:30 a.m., a 22-year-old man was sleeping when he was shot in the right leg, according to police. He was taken to an area hospital in fair condition.
• At approximately 1:15 a.m. in the first block of West 43^rd Street, a 26-year-old man was driving when he was shot in the right hand. He was taken to an area hospital in good condition, police said.
• Police say a 23-year-old woman was dropped off at Loretto Hospital after being shot in the back at approximately 3:10 a.m. She was listed in fair condition.
• A 25-year-old woman was standing outside in the 800 block of West Division at approximately 2:57 a.m. when she was shot in the head. Police say the woman transported herself to a hospital, where she was listed in good condition.
• In the 5100 block of West Division at approximately 10:50 a.m., a 29-year-old man was standing outside when a person approached and fired multiple rounds, striking him several times. The man was taken to an area hospital in critical condition, according to police.
• A 40-year-old man was walking in the 4900 block of West North Avenue at approximately 10:59 p.m. when he was shot in the right leg, police said. The man was transported to an area hospital, where he was listed in good condition.

Saturday –

• A 51-year-old man was exiting a vehicle in the 900 block of West Marquette at approximately 12:18 a.m. when he was shot in the left elbow, according to police. The man was taken to an area hospital but declined medical attention.
• In the 5800 block of South Prairie at approximately 12:35 a.m., a 17-year-old was walking on a sidewalk when he was shot, suffering a graze wound to his neck. Police said the teen was taken to an area hospital in good condition.
• At approximately 2:43 a.m. in the 900 block of East 80^th Street, a 32-year-old man was inside a residence when an unknown assailant shot him. Police say the man suffered a graze wound to his buttocks, and was taken to an area hospital in good condition.
• Police say a 44-year-old man was shot in the 2800 block of West 63^rd Street at approximately 12:05 p.m. He was struck in the neck by gunfire, and was taken to an area hospital in fair condition.
• A 25-year-old man was in a parking lot in the 2700 block of West 68^th Street at approximately 3:39 p.m. when a man approached him and fired shots, striking him in the groin and left leg according to police. The man was taken to an area hospital in serious condition.
• In the 200 block of North Sacramento at approximately 9:33 p.m., a 31-year-old man was walking when a person in a Jeep fired shots, striking him multiple times. Police said the man was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
• At approximately 11:27 p.m. in the 1600 block of South California, a pair of victims were sitting in a car when individuals in a black SUV fired shots. Police say a 62-year-old man was struck in the head, and was taken to an area hospital in serious condition, while a 43-year-old man was struck in the left shoulder and neck, and was listed in good condition.

Friday –

• A 41-year-old man was in the 6400 block of South Marshfield Avenue at approximately 6:40 p.m. when a person fired shots, striking him in the arm. He was taken to a local hospital in good condition, police said.
• In the 900 block of West Pershing at approximately 8:12 p.m., two women walked up to a 28-year-old man at a gas station and fired shots, striking him in the leg, according to police. The man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
• At approximately 10:37 p.m. in the 300 block of West 59^th Place, a group were standing in a vacant lot when gunfire rang out. A 29-year-old man was shot in the leg, a 25-year-old man was hit in the right arm, and a 29-year-old man suffered a graze wound to his shoulder, and all three were listed in good condition at area hospitals, police said.