Bystander killed, 3 other people wounded in shooting on Chicago's South Side
CHICAGO (CBS) – One person is dead, and three others including a suspected gunman were left injured, after a shootout in the South Side's Park Manor neighborhood Monday evening.
This was Chicago's third mass shooting in two days.
Chicago Police Wentworth Area Deputy Chief Don Jerome said at a news conference Monday night that at 5:41 p.m., officers were called for a ShotSpotter alert of multiple shots fired at 7125 S. State St.
At the scene, officers found two wounded people. A 59-year-old man had been shot in the abdomen and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died, Jerome said. He has been identified as Simon Brown, and police said he was believed to be an innocent bystander, along with two other people.
A 49-year-old man who was standing nearby at an ATM was shot in the forehead and was left in grave condition, Jerome said. A short time later, a 50-year-old man was dropped off at an area hospital after being shot in the leg. He is in good condition.
The suspected gunman was shot in the leg, and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition. Officers found him a short distance away and also took him into custody, Jerome said.
A gun was recovered at the scene.
Police believe the gunman was involved in a quarrel and shot the fourth person in the leg. Meanwhile, another person opened fire and is believed to have shot the gunman, Jerome said.
This person is not in custody and has not been identified, Jerome said.
A massive crime scene was set up and spanned several blocks following the shooting at 71st and State streets. Police said a quarrel between two groups led to the shooting.
The officers' urgency was audible on Chicago Police radio, with a call for four ambulances and all available cars.
Officers arrived near 71st and State streets to find bullet holes pierced through storefront windows and shell casings covering the sidewalk.
As shots were fired, people standing at the busy Park Manor intersection ducked for cover into nearby businesses.
Khalid Abdulrab said he heard eight to 10 gunshots from the convenience store where he works.
"We heard a just bunch of kids like screaming outside, yelling," said Abdulrab. "They came into the store. Some of them came in, walked in. We told them to wait inside over here."
Abdulrab said he heard
"Police were having to reunite children who had been separated from their guardians as they were dispersing because of the violence that was taking; the gunshots," said John T. Boston-Senior Pastor of the Shiloh Seventh-Day Adventist Church, located nearby at 7000 S. Michigan Ave.
Pastor Boston responded to the mass shooting himself.
"My fear is that people will begin to think that this is normal, and this is absolutely abnormal," he said.
This would be the third mass shooting in just two days in Chicago. On Sunday there were two deadly mass shootings – one in Rogers Park on the city's North Side, and the other in Auburn Gresham on the South Side.