Chicago Epidemic: 12 People Shot within 4 Hours

[PT Freakin' G]

From the Chicago Tribune

Staff report
8:58 p.m. CDT, July 3, 2012

At least 12 people have been shot since 5 p.m. in Chicago, including a woman critically injured along with two other people in a drive-by shooting in the Sheridan Park neighborhood, authorities said.

The woman was shot along with another woman and a man in the 4400 block of North Racine Avenue just before 7:30 p.m. in what was believed to be a drive-by shooting, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala. The other woman and the man had had their conditions stabilized, Zala said.

In the latest shooting, a male and female were wounded in a drive-by shooting near a bus stop at about 8:15 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Washington Boulevard on the city's Near West Side.

The male was struck in his side, while the female was struck in one of her toes, police said, citing early reports. Both victims were listed in serious-to-fair condition and were treated at the scene, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

Early reports indicate that the couple was struck by a gunman inside a passing van.

Earlier, four men and boys, ages 14 to 19, were shot near 60th Street and Rockwell Avenue about 5:38 p.m., Zala said. The victims were wounded in a drive-by shooting, Zala said, citing preliminary information.

One boy, 14, was shot in the right hand, another, also 14, was shot in the right foot. A 15-year-boy was shot in the right knee. And a 19-year-old was shot in the right thigh.

The Fire Department only had information on three victims. One patient was taken in serious-to-critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, a second in fair-to-serious condition to Holy Cross Hospital, and a third in fair-to-serious condition to St. Bernard Hospital, according to Fire Department spokesman Will Knight.

A few minutes earlier, a man and a woman were shot in the 3800 block of West Augusta Boulevard, Zala said. About 5:33 p.m., a 34-year-old woman was shot in the buttocks, and a 21-year-old man suffered a graze wound, in a drive-by shooting.

The woman was taken to an area hospital for treatment, but the man refused medical attention, Zala said.

At 5 p.m., a 15-year-old boy was shot in the left armpit in a park in the 8500 block of South Peoria Street, Zala said. The park is adjacent to Gresham Elementary School.

The boy was in the park when another young man or boy came up to the boy and shot him, Zala said. The boy was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital for treatment, he said.

Although the investigation is ongoing, initial indications are that the boy's shooting was not gang-related.

[Scarlett]

How tragic.

[CarlD]

More people are killed in inner city Chicago than Afghanistan, sad.

[PT Freakin' G]

I remember seeing that as a headline recently, Carl. Given the young age of the victims in Chicago, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think you have a better chance of living into adulthood in Afghanistan than in Chicago.

[MrsSuperman93]

How awful

[Garrison]

There's no trauma ward on the South Side meaning shooting victims have to be rushed to hospitals downtown, which takes half an hour in light traffic. And that's why fatalities are so high. If they re-opened the trauma ward at UIC, the numbers would go down.