2 Women Killed, 3 Boys Injured In South Side Shooting

SOUTH SIDE, IL — Two women were killed and three children were critically injured in a shooting at a home on the South Side early Thursday, Chicago police said.

Police responded to a report of shots fired on the 7100 block of South Woodlawn in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood about 6:15 a.m. and found the victims — a 42-year-old woman, a 22-year-old woman, and three boys ages 5, 7 and 8 — had been shot, Deputy Police Chief Don Jerome said.

Both women died at the scene but the three boys were in critical condition at Comer's Children's Hospital, Jerome said. Whether or how the boys and the women were related was not immediately known.

The preliminary investigation found that two vehicles pulled up to the house and multiple people got out and fired on the home, he said. Shell casings from a handgun and a rifle were found at the scene.

Jerome said the preliminary investigation found the shooting was the result of a personal dispute but he did not have additional details or context about when the dispute had happened or if it was an ongoing issue.

Authorities are working to identify the vehicles through video surveillance, Jerome said.

"This senseless violence has to stop," said Deputy Mayor Garien Gatewood, who is leading efforts to address crime and violence in the city. He urged anyone with information about the shooting to contact the police department.

"It's important not only that we hold these folks accountable," he said, "but we also help this community heal."

Alderman Desmon Yancy described the Greater Grand Crossing area where the shooting took place as "a relatively quiet neighborhood that isn't used to this kind of violence."

"The summer's just getting started," Yancy said. "I don't want to stand in front of another group of microphones and have another discussion about the pain this is causing our communities.

"Personal conflict and guns has become a bad combination," he said.

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"We are continuing to address the shootings," Gatewood said when pressed about the plans in place to address the issues leading to the violence.

"It's not about whether a plan is working," he said. "We are here to support the people who were hurt today."

Anyone who has information is urged to submit an anonymous tip to CPDTip.com. Area One detectives are investigating, police said.