Second deadly shooting in 2 days reported at Chicago's 31st Street Beach
CHICAGO (CBS) — Two people were shot and killed early Friday in a parking lot at the 31st Street Beach, marking the second deadly shooting at the same beach in two days.
A South Side alderman is now calling for the beach to close early.
Police said the man who died exchanged gunfire with several other people at the beach at 3:15 a.m. The victims are a 23-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman.
Police confirm multiple men were taken into custody, and Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) said two of them were arrested on potential charges of murder. The alderman said he had already sent a letter to the Chicago Park District asking for an earlier curfew before the fatal shooting Friday morning.
"This is senseless," Robinson said.
Robinson said he was already in contact with Chicago Police, the Chicago Park District, and violence interrupters about the recent gun violence at the beach, where on Wednesday night, one woman was killed, and another was hospitalized after another shooting.
Officers on the scene found a 22-year-old woman who had been shot three times. She died at the hospital.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office has identified the 22-year-old woman who died in the Wednesday night shooting as Zakhyiah Walker.
Currently, the beach is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., but swimming is only permitted during the beach season when lifeguards are on duty—from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Robinson said closing the beach down early is the only option now.
"We have to be sure that if we close the beach at 9 p.m. We have to make sure there's no loitering on the beach, and there's not loitering on the parking lots as well," Robinson said, "and we have to make sure that CPD, as well as the Chicago Park District, enforces that."
CBS News Chicago asked the Chicago Police Department about the alderman's request for additional patrols, and a spokesperson said they are not commenting at this time.
"When we have issues like this, and we know that we have hot spots across the city of Chicago, we have to make sure that we have more police," Robinson said.
CBS News Chicago also reached out to the Chicago Park District about the early curfew.
A Park District spokesperson issued this statement: "The safety of park and beach visitors is the Park District's highest priority. We are working in close coordination with the Chicago Police Department and Alderman Robinson and will take additional security measures at 31st Street Beach based on the guidance of the Police Department."
On Friday night, Ald. Robinson issued a warning that illegally-parked cars around the 31st Street Beach would be towed.
