Man shot, critically wounded in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police on Tuesday were searching for whoever shot and critically wounded a man in broad daylight in the Uptown neighborhood.
Police said the 23-year-old man was standing in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 4800 block of North Broadway around 9:15 a.m., when someone in a vehicle pulled up and started shooting. The shopping center is located directly across from the Uptown Post Office at Broadway and Gunnison Street.
People who were inside the businesses—which include Lee Nail Supply, a Rosati's Pizza, a Lurie Children's Hospital pediatric office, Dong Ky Restaurant, Wing Sing Supermarket, the Chicago Pet Club doggy daycare, and a Citibank branch—heard the gunshots and immediately ran to the back of their storefronts.
"I talked to the cashier, and then I asked her, I said, 'What's going on here?'" said witness Catherine Henessey. "She said, 'Gunshot!'"
Police radio dispatches indicated that four or five shots were heard, and the shooting took place in front of the Citibank branch. The usually quiet morning quickly turned to chaos.
The victim ran to the Lurie Children's Hospital pediatric medical office after the shooting, radio scanner traffic indicated.
He was shot in the chest and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.
At least five evidence markers for shell casings were spotted at the scene. A bullet hole was also seen in the front windshield of the victim's car, and the rear driver's side window was broken out.
James Hart is the cow-owner of the Chicago Pet Club. He was inside with the dogs when he heard the gunshots and immediately ducked down.
"Honestly, we've never had a problem here, so it's been pretty easy since we've opened the facility," said Hart. "It's just kind of odd to have something like that happen here in the parking lot."
No one was in custody late Tuesday.
Belmont Area detectives were investigating.