Five Children Shot In South Side Drive-By
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Five children – ages 11 to 15 – were shot Sunday night in a drive-by on the South Side.
The kids were walking from a nearby park to a convenience store, when they were shot in the 6600 block of South Michigan Avenue around 7:30 p.m., police said.
An 11-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl were taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The younger girl was the most seriously injured, initially listed in serious to critical condition, but was awake and talking Monday morning.
Her cousin, 14-year-old Jamanta White, and a 14-year-old girl, were taken to Comer Children's Hospital. The girl was in serious condition, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
Jamanta was released from the hospital at around 10 a.m. Monday, after doctors treated him for a gunshot wound to the leg and a graze wound to his side.
A fifth child, a 14-year-old girl, walked into St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center after the shooting. She had been grazed by a bullet.
Jamanta said he and his cousin were with about seven other kids who were leaving a nearby park, and were on their way to a local convenience store when a car with four young men inside pulled up and asked what gang the kids were with.
"They never gave us a chance to speak," he said. "They just started shooting."
He said three people in the vehicle all had guns and opened fire. He said he and his friends tried to run for cover.
"I had no reason to get shot, because I'm not in a gang or nothing," he said.
His grandmother, Rebecca Washington, said Jamanta and his cousin attended Easter church service earlier in the day.
"Easter Sunday was a typical Sunday," she said. "We're in church every Sunday."
Washington said it will be a while before she lets her two grandchildren go outside to play again.
Police said no suspects were in custody as of Monday morning.