4 Hospitalized After Drive-By Shooting Shakes Suburban Chicago

4 Hospitalized After Drive-By Shooting Shakes Suburban Chicago
The drive-by shooting occurred at the 7300 block of South Artesian Avenue in Marquette Park, Ill., on Aug. 9, 2019. (Google Maps/Screenshot)
Richard Szabo
8/12/2019
Updated:
8/12/2019

Four people have been hospitalized following a drive-by shooting in metropolitan Illinois on Aug. 9.

The Chicago Sun Times reported a 24-year-old man is fighting for his life after suffering a gunshot to his back at 11:30 p.m. local time when an unknown attacker opened fire in Marquette Park, 12 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.
Chicago Police Department confirmed with CBS Chicago another three people were injured from the same shooting at the 7300 block of South Artesian Avenue, including a 20-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man who mostly suffered leg wounds.

A third man, 29, reportedly suffered a wound on the right side of his body. All three victims were in a stable condition at the Holy Cross Hospital, CBS reported.

Police understand the victims were standing on the sidewalk when someone opened fire from inside a moving vehicle, according to the Sun Times.

A witness to the incident told the paper the victims were attending a party in what was otherwise a peaceful neighborhood without any conflicts between locals.

The Chicago Tribune discovered the party was actually a block club meeting where several people attending fell to the ground when the shooting began to avoid the gunfire.

“I paused to get my keys and wallet, and that’s when I heard the shots and hit the deck,” a 59-year-old anonymous male witness told the Tribune. “If I hadn’t paused, we would have walked across the street.”

The witness confirmed with the paper there were about 12 shell casings between the southeast and northwest corners of the intersection between West 73rd Street and South Artesian Avenue.

In contrast to the Sun Times, the witness claimed there had been a shooting in the block to the north of the latest shooting. He also recalled the drive-by shooter appeared to harbor a “lot of anger” before rapidly opening fire.

“They weren’t joking,” he told the Tribune. “This is not the end of it.”

Neighbors had originally planned to hold another block club meeting in August but are considering whether to postpone the event since the shooting occurred.

“This is all tired people on this block,” a 60-year-old grandmother told the Tribune. “What is going on? Neighbors are afraid to speak out. ... My grandbaby, she’s terrified, she’s not used to this.”

Police had made no arrests at the time of publication. Area central detectives are continuing the investigation.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Chicago Police Department by phoning 312-746-6000 or visiting home.chicagopolice.org
Richard Szabo is an award-winning journalist with more than 12 years' experience in news writing at mainstream and niche media organizations. He has a specialty in business, tourism, hospitality, and healthcare reporting.
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