Mass Shooting On Halloween Night, Up To 14 Shot On West Side Of Chicago

CHICAGO — Gunfire erupted Halloween night near Polk and California on the city’s West Side, when up to 14 people, including three children, were shot in what Chicago police describe as a drive-by shooting. A vehicle also struck a woman as she was trying to escape the gunfire.

Around 9:30 p.m., a large group of people were gathered near the corner of California and Polk in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood. A vehicle drove by where it is believed that possibly two shooters fired randomly into the large group gathered at the street corner

“We know it was a drive-by,” Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said during a news conference in front of Stroger Hospital. “It began and was over by three seconds. We have no motive, no offenders, we didn’t have any conflicts on this corner.”

The police superintendent said three of the people shot were children, ages 3, 11 and 13; the rest were adults in their 30s, 40s and 50s. No fatalities were reported as of Monday evening. The wounded were taken to different hospitals, including Stroger, Loyola, Mt. Sinai, Northwestern Medical Center in various conditions ranging from critical to non-life threatening. No fatalities were reported as of Monday evening, including:

• An 11-year-old girl is in serious condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
• A 56-year-old woman is in serious condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital suffered a gunshot wound to the torso.
• A 13-year-boy is in serious condition at Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso and leg.
• A 3-year-old boy is in serious condition at Stroger Hospital after suffering gunshot wounds to both legs.
• A 31-year-old man is in good condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
• A female of unknown age was taken to Mt. Sinai suffering a gunshot wound to the torso; her condition is unknown.
• A 51-year-old man is in serious condition at Stroger Hosopital with a gunshot wound to the torso;
• A 37-year-old man is in critical condition at Stroger Hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso.
• A 35-year-old is in good condition at Northwestern Hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
• A 48-year-old woman is in good condition at Northwestern suffering a gunshot wound to the leg.
• A 48-year-old man is in critical condition at Mt. Sinai with a gunshot wound to the head;
• A 47-year-old woman is in good condition at Loyola with a gunshot wound to the leg.
• A 40-year-old woman is in good condition at Loyola suffering a gunshot wound to the leg.

Police said a woman attempting to escape the gunfire was struck by a vehicle as she was crossing traffic. She was transported to Stroger Hospital in fair condition with various scrapes to the body.

“We’re limited in what we can say about motive or offenders,” Brown said. “ We have detectives on the ground. The victims are being treated. We’re waiting for interviews.”

Brown added that the group on the corner where “we don’t have any conflicts.” The group was reportedly attending a vigil with a balloon release. A dark SUV appeared when two occupants started firing randomly into the crowd, captured on area pod surveillance. He did not know if any of the victims were celebrating Halloween.

“This is all preliminary,” Brown said, urging people to submit an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com or call the telephone hotline at 311. An award of up to $15,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects.