Two people were killed and three others wounded in a mass shooting in Englewood on Thursday, fire officials said.
Two men, ages 19 and 26, were taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in traumatic arrest after the shooting near West 61st Street and South Union Avenue. They were pronounced dead at the hospital, fire officials said.
A 17-year-old boy and a 26-year-old woman were taken to Stroger Hospital, where the boy was in good condition after being shot in the arm, Chicago police Deputy Chief Matt Cline told reporters at a news conference. The woman was listed as stable, according to the Chicago Fire Department.
A 21-year-old man was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to the arm, Cline said.
A group of people, some of whom were related and lived in the neighborhood, were outside “enjoying the nice weather,” when a car approached and two people got out and started shooting toward the group before fleeing, Cline said.
Some children were present during the shooting, but none were injured.
BREAKING: Five individuals have been shot in the 600 block of W. 61st St. in the 7th Dist. Conditions unknown at this point. All were transported to an area hospital. PIO in route. Additional details to follow. Media staging is 61st and Union.
— Chicago Police Communications & News Affairs (@CPD_Media) May 11, 2023
Shortly after the shooting, red police tape blocked off about half the block as dozens of shell casings were left at the scene. Many of the casings were found on the lawn of a home on the corner of 61st and Union.
A woman who lives on the block said she heard “a lot” of shots, too many to count. She stayed in her home and only poked her head out after police arrived.
The woman, who declined to give her name out of concern for her safety, said she’s lived in the area since 1978. She said the neighborhood was “working class” back then, but she’s not sure what changed.
“It seems the new generation doesn’t care about the future,” she said. “They lost hope.”