3 killed, 5 wounded in mass shooting on Chicago's Southwest Side
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Eight people were shot, and three of them were killed, in the Southwest Side's Chicago Lawn neighborhood Monday afternoon.
Police said at 2:10 p.m., police were called for a shooting in a house in the 3500 block of West 59th Street, between St. Louis and Central Park avenues in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.
Responding officers found eight people—four men and four women, all between the ages of 20 and 35—had been shot. Three of the four men were dead, according to Chicago Police Chief of Patrol Jon Hein.
Police believe a social gathering was going on at the time of the shooting, Hein said. There were no reports that any children were present.
The victims were taken by paramedics to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, one to the University of Chicago Medical Center, and one to Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Chicago Fire Department. Two also self-transported to hospitals.
After the mass shooting, dozens of children were seen being released from a nearby school—and they had to walk through the crime scene to get home. A woman was also seen getting into a Chicago Police squad car with lots of blood running down her leg, but it did not appear that she had been shot.
One person who lives nearby said the house where the shooting happened is the site of a lot of parties and other activities.
"I got home from work, and I seen a lot of people at the house—it was like over 20 people—and shortly after, I started hearing shots—very loud shots—maybe, I don't know, I can't recall how many," said neighbor El Towers. "It seems like it was a party. There's always people at that house partying."
Street Pastor Donovan Price was at the scene Monday afternoon. He lamented the violence.
"Just sad. It almost makes you hopeless, but you have to keep hope in times like these. You have to keep yourself together," said Price. "You have to really want to reach out and kiss your loved ones, and love your loved ones, because when this many people are shot in a situation like this, it's extra hard during the holidays."
Price also contrasted the horrific violence Monday to Americans just having celebrated Thanksgiving just this past Thursday.
"Definitely a lot of confusion, a lot of sadness, a lot of tears, a lot of wondering who went to what hospital—some of the things that are the opposite of just a few days ago, when we were celebrating family, and celebrating with family, and everybody was so joyful, and moving into a joyful season," he said.
Hein said the investigation into the mass shooting remains too early for much further information to be available—including whether a suspect or a getaway car has been identified.
