Man Killed, Woman Shot At Wabash Avenue And Wacker Drive Downtown
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago saw more than 50 shootings this weekend, eight of them fatal – including one incident overnight Saturday into Sunday right downtown.
As CBS 2's Marissa Parra reported Sunday night, the south bank of the Chicago River at Wabash Avenue is bustling by day. But this weekend in the wee hours, it turned into a crime scene.
"I was probably 20 feet away and I heard the gunshots and I just ducked," said witness Solomon Williams.
The victims were in a car in the 0-99 block of East Wacker Drive near Wabash Avenue around 2:30 a.m. when they waved down officers for help, according to Chicago Police.
Police said a quarrel between an unidentified man and a group of people led to that same man taking out his gun.
"'Boom! Boom! Boom!'" said witness Travis Whitaker. "Next thing you know, shorty's laying there."
A 35-year-old man was shot once in the neck, and 25-year-old woman was shot once in each arm. Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the man died a short time later. The woman was reported in good condition.
"Just another story in the Black community," Whitaker said. "It's sad."
As police responded to the crime scene, the Department of Streets and Sanitation responded by cleaning up a mess of empty bottles and trash.
People who work in the Loop along Wacker Drive said street parties have ramped up over the last few weeks.
Videos taken from Snapchat maps showed large groups of people dancing and drinking along the Riverwalk below in the middle of the night.
"Last night was probably the most packed we've seen it in the past three days," Williams said.
He said he came out to have fun, but then the mood quickly shifted.
"When everyone got together, you could kind of tell the hostility, you know, when it's a large group of people," Williams said. "Me personally, I'm all right. People still just got to be aware and be careful."
It is not clear where exactly the actual shooting happened. But when police found the car with the two victims, it was in front of the entrance to the Club Quarters Hotel at the Mather Tower, 75 E. Wacker Dr.
In other fatal incidents this weekend:
• Around 9:52 p.m. Friday, two men were in a first-floor apartment in the 8200 block of South Drexel Avenue in the East Chatham neighborhood when a man kicked in the door and fired shots. A 60-year-old man was shot in the neck and was pronounced dead on the scene, while a 23-year-old man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the arm. The man who was killed was identified as Derek Teague.
• Two men and a woman were shot at 10:31 p.m. Friday in the 8000 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in the East Chatham neighborhood, and one of the men was killed. The two men were in a vehicle when the suspect began shooting at them from a red sport-utility vehicle, police said. A 20-year-old man was shot in the chest and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. A 30-year-old man was shot once in the right hand, and a 19-year-old woman was shot in the right leg. They were both taken to the U of C Medical Center in good condition.
• A 67-year-old man was walking in the 4900 block of West Hubbard Street in the South Austin neighborhood at 12:29 a.m. Saturday when a man fired shots from a vacant lot. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County with a gunshot wound to the neck and was pronounced dead.
• At 3:28 a.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old man was driving south on Washtenaw Avenue at 24th Street in the Little Village neighborhood when a man fired shots and caused the driver to hit a tree. The victim was shot in the right armpit and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Miguel A. Rios.
• Five people were shot, and one of them was killed, in the 1600 block of South Keeler Avenue at 3:12 a.m. Saturday. The victims were all standing on the sidewalk when two men fired shots. A 25-year-old man was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai. The other victims were all taken to the same hospital in good condition – a man of an unspecified age with a gunshot wound to the right leg, a 36-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the left leg, a 32-year-old man with a shot to the right arm, and another man of an unspecified age with a shot to the right leg. The man who was killed was identified as Twan Thigpen.
• At 6:25 a.m. Saturday, a 26-year-old man was found in the 3400 block of West Ohio Street in the East Garfield Park neighborhood with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
• At 2:55 a.m. Sunday, police were in the 3200 block of West Cermak Road in Little Village when they heard a 20-year-old man had been dropped off at Mount Sinai Hospital. The man was shot in the right abdomen and right cheek and was pronounced dead a short time later. Witnesses were uncooperative with officers about the shooting.
Meanwhile on Sunday, two boys under 13 were among the wounded in a shooting in the Auburn Gresham community. Police said at 4:32 p.m., two boys ages 10 and 11, and a 27-year-old man were in front of a residence in the 8200 block of South Ada Street when a vehicle pulled up and someone fired shots.
The 10-year-old boy was struck in the ankle and calf, the 11-year-old boy was struck in the arm, and the man was struck in the leg and arm, police said.