2 more shootings reported in Evanston, Illinois; 4 reported in less than a day
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- Four people have been shot in Evanston in less than 24 hours, and police late Tuesday did not believe the incidents were related—despite two of the three shooting incidents happening on the same block on different days.
Meanwhile, neighbors said they do not feel safe.
The shootings all happened on Evanston's West Side. Two of the shootings happened on the same stretch of Dempster Street—a major through-street in Evanston that carries traffic through neighboring Skokie to the Edens Expressway, and is also a route to get between Evanston and O'Hare International Airport.
The third shooting happened less than a mile to the north on Dodge Avenue—the Evanston extension of Chicago's California Avenue.
The 1700 block of Dempster Street, between Darrow and Dewey avenues, quickly filled up with crime scene investigators around 3 p.m. Tuesday. Northwestern University police also assisted at the scene.
Police received a 911 call after someone shot a man standing on the corner.
Officers found the man with a single gunshot wound to his upper thigh. He was taken to an area hospital and his condition was stabilized.
"I'm really concerned because I've been here. So this is the first time I see that happen over here," said Adrien Sarant-Felix, who owns a Western Union on Dempster Street. "I'm like, what's going on? Things changed over here now?"
The victim collapsed right outside Sarant-Felix's business. His employee heard the shot.
They are thankful the shooter opted to run past the front door, which was wide open at the time.
"I'm happy they didn't run in the door," Sarant-Felix said. "I'm really happy they didn't run inside."
Police said the shooter ran north, where about half a mile north on in the 1700 block of Dodge Avenue—just off Church Street and near Evanston Township High School—a man was shot in the hand.
He was taken to a hospital and his condition was stabilized. The scene was reopened around 5 p.m.
"Having two incidents of violence that close together geographically—especially in this neighborhood—is very uncommon," said Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew.
On top of all this is the fact that on Monday night, Evanston police were also on the 1700 block of Dempster Street investigating a shooting.
In that incident around 8:30 p.m., two men were shot and wounded. Police said it was believed they were targeted, but it was not clear why.
Thus, police are investigating three shootings with four victims in less than 24 hours—all in the same general area.
"The initial investigation would tend to indicate that the offenders and the victims knew each other," Glew said.
Nonetheless, Glew said, it is of course a serious concern when someone is shooting in public—whether random or targeted.
"It's extremely concerning, but I want the people in this neighborhood to understand we are prioritizing police deployment in this area," Glew said. "There will be elevated police presence. We are investigating all three of these shootings and taking them very seriously."
With that in mind, police went door-to-door checking yards to make sure the shooter or shooters did not hide out.
Police, again, said it did not appear that the three separate shootings were related. Still, it all leaves those working in the area with questions.
"How are they going to catch the guy, or how long they're going to catch that guy," said Sarant-Felix.
On Tuesday night, police were asking neighbors to check their Ring doorbell and other home surveillance cameras—as maybe surveillance video captured the suspect running off, or events leading up to the shootings.
No description of a shooter or shooters in any of the incidents has been released.
Police said all three victims will survive.
