Chicago Sees Deadliest Memorial Day Weekend in Years

Chicago police say 10 people were killed and at least 42 people were injured in shootings over the city's deadliest Memorial Day weekend in years.

Seven people were killed and 34 wounded last Memorial Day weekend in shootings across Chicago, while in 2018, seven people were killed and 30 wounded.

Six people were killed and 44 wounded in 2017, according to police, while another six people were fatally shot the year prior, with 56 wounded.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot cited a lack of federal resources, jail admittance and court hearings during the coronavirus pandemic for making community policing the most difficult she's seen in more than 20 years, she said Tuesday.

"The police department is effectively on its own in fighting for public safety," she said.

Lightfoot cautioned against comparing this year's violence to previous years because of the unique circumstances of a global pandemic.

"The reality is there is no circumstance like the one that we are facing," she said.

In the city’s most recent fatal shooting, two men were standing on a sidewalk in the 2800 block of West Wilcox at approximately 8:29 p.m. Monday when a person in a passing white sedan fired shots, striking both victims, according to police.

One of the victims, a 45-year-old man, was taken to Stroger Hospital with gunshot wounds to his head and torso, where he was pronounced dead.

The other man, a 52-year-old, was shot in the left leg and is in good condition at Mount Sinai.

Earlier Monday, a man was shot and killed while inside a vehicle in an alley in the 400 block of East 103rd Street, police said. The victim was struck once in the facial area and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he died.

Just hours earlier, a man was shot in the head in the 1000 block of North Drake at approximately 7:44 a.m. Sunday, according to Chicago police.

The man was taken to Cook County Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

No further circumstances of the shooting were immediately available.

Earlier Sunday morning, a 45-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk in the 7800 block of South Ingleside at approximately 3:52 a.m. when a person in a passing black SUV fired shots at him, striking him in the left side of his torso.

Police say the man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Just after 10 p.m. Saturday, a 16-year-old boy was walking in the 6100 block of South Indiana when a man walked up to him and fired multiple shots, striking him in the chest and arm, police said.

The boy was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, and later succumbed to his injuries.

Nearby officers responded quickly to the scene and put a possible suspect into custody after a brief foot pursuit. Officers also recovered a weapon near the scene.

Just over an hour later in the 3400 block of West North Avenue, a 28-year-old man was found lying on the sidewalk by police after being shot in the head. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Two men were seen running from the scene, but neither was taken into custody.

At approximately 7:46 p.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of West 97th Place, a 32-year-old male victim was found shot to death inside a residence, police officials said. The victim was pronounced dead on scene, and no one was in custody Saturday evening.

In a separate incident, a 35-year-old man was fatally shot and three others were injured in a shooting in the 3900 block of West Grenshaw, according to police. The four victims were outside of a residence at approximately 6:26 p.m. when someone in an unknown vehicle approached and fired shots, officers stated. The 35-year-old male victim was struck once to the chest and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he died.

Two other victims, a 23-year-old man and a 26-year-old man, were listed in fair condition the hospital. A fourth person, a 43-year-old man, sustained a graze wound to the arm and refused treatment.

No one had been arrested as of Saturday evening.

Just after 6 a.m. Saturday in the 5900 block of South Justine, police were called to a residence, and upon arrival they discovered a 27-year-old man lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to his stomach.

The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police say that no suspects are in custody, and Area One detectives are seeking witnesses to the shooting.  

The first reported homicide of the weekend took place late Friday night in the 5600 block of South Paulina, according to Chicago police.

Just before 11:30 p.m., a 41-year-old man was discovered lying on a sidewalk after suffering multiple gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police say no witnesses have come forward, and Area One detectives are currently investigating the shooting.

The rest of the weekend’s non-fatal shootings occurred as follows, according to police. Unless otherwise stated, no one is in custody in connection with the incident as police continue to investigate.

Friday –

• Just after 2 p.m. in the 1800 block of South Avers, a 17-year-old boy was standing on a sidewalk when he was shot in the chest, police say. The boy was taken to Mount Sinai, where his condition has stabilized.
• A 22-year-old man was shot after a verbal altercation following a narcotics-related transaction, police said. The incident took place in the 2500 block of East 79^th Street at approximately 4:20 p.m., and left the man with a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. He was taken to the University of Chicago in stable condition.
• In the 7900 block of South State Street at approximately 9:17 p.m., a 21-year-old man was exiting a vehicle when he was shot in the pelvis. Police say the man was taken to the University of Chicago in fair condition, and there are no suspects in custody.

Saturday –

• Just after midnight in the 400 block of East 61^st Street, a 30-year-old man was driving when he was shot in the ankle. Police say the man was taken to the University of Chicago in good condition.

• A 15-year-old boy got into a verbal altercation with the driver of a blue SUV in the 7600 block of South Exchange at approximately 12:49 a.m., and was shot when the driver got out of the vehicle and fired multiple shots. The boy was hit in the face, chest and abdomen, and is in critical condition at Comer Children’s Hospital, police said.

• In the 6400 block of South King Drive at approximately 1:18 a.m., a 37-year-old man was walking when he got into a verbal altercation with three men, police said. At least one of the men opened fire, striking the victim in the backside and grazing his head. He was taken to the University of Chicago in fair condition.
• At approximately 1:45 a.m. in the 600 block of North Lockwood, a 33-year-old man was standing outside when a person in a passing black sedan fired shots, striking him in the abdomen, according to police. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
• In the 5700 block of South Wolcott at approximately 6:56 p.m., two male victims were inside of a vehicle when someone in an unknown vehicle approached them and fired shots, police said. A 25-year-old male victim sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition. A 35-year-old male victim was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with a gunshot wound to the calf and listed in fair condition.
• Just after 8 p.m. in the 6500 block of South Sangamon, a 35-year-old man was standing in front of a residence with a group of people when a man across the street opened fire, striking him multiple times in the stomach and legs. The man was taken to the University of Chicago, and is in critical condition, according to police.
• A 31-year-old woman was sitting in the front seat of a vehicle in the 8700 block of South Parnell at approximately 9:37 p.m. when a person in another vehicle fired shots, striking her in the right leg. The woman was taken to the University of Chicago in fair condition, while two children that were also in the vehicle, a 10-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy, were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. Neither was injured in the shooting, police said.
• In the 4500 block of West Maypole at approximately 11:48 p.m., a 23-year-old woman was sitting in a parked vehicle when a person in a passing vehicle fired shots at her, striking her in the chest. According to police, the woman was taken to Mount Sinai, where she was listed in serious condition.

Sunday -

• At approximately 2:09 a.m. in the 3800 block of West Gladys, a 23-year-old man was inside of a residence when shots were fired and he was hit in the groin, police say. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition.
• In the first block of West 105^th Street just before 8 a.m., a 22-year-old man was entering a car when a person in another vehicle pulled up and opened fire, striking the victim in the chest and hand. The man was taken to Christ Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
• At approximately 5 p.m. in the 200 block of West 99th Street, a 27-year-old male was on the sidewalk when an unknown vehicle approached him and an individual inside fired shots, according to police. The victim was shot once in the thigh and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in fair condition.
• At around 7:55 p.m. in the 1500 block of South Wood Street, a 26-year-old man was inside a car when another car began following his vehicle and someone inside fired shots. The man was hit once in the back and took himself to Stroger Hospital in fair condition, police said. Authorities said a 42-year-old woman on the sidewalk was also shot in the foot and was also taken to Stroger in fair condition.
• Authorities said at around 8:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of West 88th Street, a 36-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk when he heard shots and felt pain. He was shot once in the hip, according to police, who said he took himself to Little Company of Mary Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition.
• A 22-year-old man was sitting in a vehicle in the 3400 block of West Walnut at around 11:05 p.m. when police said he heard shots and felt pain. He sustained two gunshot wounds to each arm, officials said, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.

Monday -

• At approximately 12:29 a.m., a 35-year-old man was walking in the 5600 block of South Drexel when another male exited a dark-colored van and opened fire, according to police. The man was taken to University of Chicago Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds to his body and was listed in fair condition, police said.
• At around 2:08 a.m., two 45-year-old men were standing in the street in the 8800 block of South May when someone in a gray sedan fired shots, according to police. One was shot in the left leg and the other in the right foot, officials said. Both men were taken to Little Company of Mary in fair condition, authorities said.
• A 23-year-old man was standing on a back porch in the 6500 block of South Drexel at around 2:28 a.m. when someone in a white sedan opened fire, according to police. He was shot in the right hand and right leg and taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in fair condition, authorities said.
• Officers responded to a call of a person shot at around 2:34 a.m. in the 7300 block of South Paulina, where they found a 53-year-old man in the street with gunshot wounds to the buttocks and back, according to police. He was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, officials said.
• Authorities said at around 3:22 a.m., a 30-year-old man was standing in the 9800 block of South Ellis when someone in a white vehicle opened fire. The man was shot in the chest and back and taken to University of Chicago Hospital in serious condition, according to police.
• At around 5:09 a.m., a 15-year-old girl was on the porch of a home in the 12000 block of South Wallace when shots were fired in front of the building, police said. A round grazed her leg and she was taken to Roseland Hospital in good condition, according to police.
• A 35-year-old man was shot in the thigh just before 9 a.m. in the 800 block of North St. Louis, officials said. Police say the victim was approached by an armed offender and fled but was subsequently shot in the thigh. He took himself to West Suburban Hospital and was later transferred to Cook County Hospital and was listed in serious condition, according to police.
• In the 9000 block of South Racine at approximately 4:50 p.m., a 21-year-old man was shot in the arm, police said. Circumstances of the shooting are still unknown, and the man was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in an unknown condition.
• At approximately 6:30 p.m. in the 3000 block of South Gratten, a 20-year-old man was in a park when he heard gunshots and felt pain. According to police, the man was shot in his left knee, and he was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition.
• At around 9:19 p.m., a group of people was standing on the sidewalk in the 8800 block of South Burley when a male offender fired shots from the gangway, police said. A 20-year-old man was show in the right leg and a 21-year-old woman was shot in the right buttocks, officals said. Both were taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.
• A 29-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk in the 3500 block of West Walnut at around 9:52 p.m. when he was shot multiple times, according to police. Officers in the area of the shooting found the man with multiple gunshot wounds to the body and he was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
• At around 10:19 p.m. in the 6900 block of South Loomis, police say a male victim was outside his home when he heard shots and felt pain. He was shot in the left leg and taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.
• Three people were shot at around 11:26 p.m. in the 1000 block of North Hamlin, according to police. They were hanging out on the sidewalk when they saw a man chasing another man and then heard multiple gunshots. A 36-year-old woman was shot in the right arm and lower back, a 33-year-old man was shot in the right shoulder and a 44-year-old man was shot multiples im the left flank, abdomen and left leg, police said. They were all taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, according to police.

Tuesday -

• At around 1:09 a.m. in the 7200 block of South Talman, a male was walking on the sidewalk when an unknown gunman in dark clothing began to fire at him before fleeing the scene, according to police. The victim was shot multiple times, officials said, and taken to Christ Hospital in serious condition.
• At around 3:10 a.m., Illinois State Police responded to southbound I-94 at 138th Street and spoke with a 41-year-old man from Calumet City who said he had been shot while driving. ISP said he sustained injuries not thought to be life-threatening and was taken to an area hospital. All southbound lanes were shut down for hours while the investigation was underway, reopening at around 7 a.m.