Watch CBS News

Bystander Killed Outside Starbucks 'Could Have Been Any One Of Us'

(CBS) – Chicago police on Monday held a "roll call" at 35th and State, the same Bronzeville corner where a city employee was shot and killed Friday afternoon.

CBS 2's Mai Martinez reports.

It's easy to miss the small memorial of flowers outside the Starbucks shop, but the innocent life lost Friday was on everyone's mind.

"When I heard about it I was really shocked because that could have been any one of us," Starbucks customer Kesha Watson says. "It was a tragedy."

Yvonne Nelson
Yvonne Nelson (picture provided to CBS 2)

Yvonne Nelson, 49, was shot and killed as police say a gunman targeted a documented gang member walking out of a PNC bank branch just before 4 p.m. Friday.

The intended target was also shot multiple times, but is expected to be okay.

"All these kids are shooting each other, they're killing each other," Chicagoan Ben Butler says. "You have a lot of innocent bystanders. They could be walking down the street. They get caught in the crossfire. This is an act of terrorism. This is definitely an act of terrorism. These gangs need to be stopped."

Bank workers also want the violence to stop. Off-camera, one said she prayed before walking into the branch this morning.

She and others say the murder happening so close to Chicago Police Department headquarters shows how dangerous and brazen criminals are.

"It doesn't matter who's in the area. They're going to shoot anybody. It's shoot to kill with these people," Butler says.

Nelson, who was shot in the chest, worked as a 3-1-1 operator.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.