Two men shot in broad daylight near the Chicago Theatre; 'Moulin Rouge' performance canceled in The Loop
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two men were shot in broad daylight Sunday afternoon in The Loop near the Chicago Theatre, Chicago Police say.
Just before 5 p.m., a 27-year-old man and a 55-year-old man were on Benton Place, an alley off the 100 block of North Wabash Avenue alongside the Chicago Theatre, when they were both shot by an unknown person.
Police on Monday said the victims were caught in the crossfire when three men who had been robbed at the Taco Bell Cantina at 178 N. Wabash Ave. turned the tables and fired upon the people who robbed them.
A large crowd watched the crime scene tape go up as they waited to get into the theater for the sold-out show. The doors opened just as the shots rang out.
Broadway in Chicago sent out a notice canceling a "Moulin Rouge! The Musical" performance Sunday night, "due to an earlier disturbance."
An audience member at "Moulin Rouge" reported the announcement was made after the house was full and the curtain had been raised.
"This whole street was full of people, and everyone started running, taking off," said one witness who did not want to reveal his name. "We heard one gunshot go off, and we weren't sure it was a gunshot at first. And then like a second after that, you heard like four more."
The 55-year-old victim was shot in the head and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition. The 27-year-old was shot in the hand and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.
"You see the guy on the floor right there, and after he was on the floor they put him in the ambulance. And then this guy was shot in the hand," the witness said.
He had a conversation with the victim who was shot in the hand.
"I said, 'Oh hey are you OK? Did you get shot in the hand? He turns to me and says, 'Yeah, I got shot.' Seemed pretty cool," the witness said.
Both victims are expected to make full recoveries.
The Chicago Theatre said everything at its venue went on as planned.
Area Three detectives are investigating.
