14-year-old girl shot in West Pullman just minutes before community anti-violence rally
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Just minutes before members of the West Pullman community planned to rally against rising violence in their neighborhood, shots rang out – injuring a 14-year-old girl.
Cellphone video showed ambulances and police cars on the scene near 122nd Street and Racine Avenue. Police said the girl was standing on the sidewalk when she was shot in the leg at 4:14 p.m.
She was taken to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital in good condition.
A short time later, members of the group Cease Fire – along with elected officials – went door-to-door in the neighborhood. They talked with residents about crime concerns.
The group says there have been eight shootings in West Pullman since last month – and five people have been killed.
"Working with the clergy, the neighborhood groups – this is taking back the streets, as they would say," said Illinois state Rep. Robert Rita (D-Blue Island).
"We can have all these meetings. You can throw millions of dollars in there. But it will not solve the problem until parents take care of their children," said West Pullman resident Charlotte Simmons.
Anti-violence activists called for more resources and jobs in the West Pullman community as a way to stem the violence.