CHICAGO (CBS) — An investigation is underway after multiple people were hospitalized following a mass shooting on the city’s West Side overnight.
It’s the second mass shooting of the weekend. This one happening just after 1 a.m. near Pulaski and 13th Street in North Lawndale.
As CBS 2’s Asal Rezaei reported, at least 15 people were hurt. The Chicago Fire Department said they’ve transported at least seven people to area hospitals. At one point, a person was being taken away on a stretcher.
Police said the offender was captured a short distance away and placed into custody. A handgun was recovered.
A witness in the front of the building says a fight broke out in the back at a Halloween party there. Things quickly escalated when one man was rejected entry at the door following the DJ’s announcement the party was coming to an end.
“They told him he couldn’t come in, and he must have gone to his car and come back and started shooting,” said Andre Williams.
The ages of the victims range from 26 to 53. Two people, a 26-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man, were taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition. Thirteen others are in good condition.
Investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released the following statement:
Early this morning, there was an alleged act of retaliation at a Halloween party in the North Lawndale community that left 15 people injured. Initial reports indicate that the suspect was asked to leave the gathering before returning and senselessly opening fire.
Chicago police responded to the shooting and with the assistance of those in attendance, quickly apprehended the offender.
As with all acts of gun violence in our city, my heart is with the victims, families and communities impacted. The Community Safety Coordination Center will ensure that victims and survivors have the resources they need to address trauma, and my office will continue to mobilize the full force of government in working with City agencies, community-based partners, faith leaders and others to reduce the number of guns on Chicago streets and bring safety to our neighborhoods and families.
Sadly, mass casualty events like these are not exclusive to the City of Chicago. This Halloween weekend alone, 11 people were killed in 12 mass shootings across the country from Tampa to Texarkana. This comes on the heels of last week’s devastating mass shooting in Maine.
The proliferation of high-powered artillery is tearing the fabric of our nation, and as long as I am mayor, Chicago will continue to lead the call for common sense gun reform to bring safety to all communities.
This is the second mass shooting of the weekend. On Saturday morning, a woman was left critically hurt, and three men were also wounded after leaving a gathering near Hanson Park on the city’s West Side.
No arrests were made in that shooting.
