By Deanese Williams-Harris
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — Two people are dead and at least 14 others were wounded, including a police officer, in city shootings since Friday night, Chicago police said.
The first fatal shooting happened about 7:45 p.m. Friday in the 700 block of East 92nd Place in the Burnside neighborhood.
Police said a 44-year-old man was near the street when he was approached by two people who pulled out guns and opened fire. He was struck to the abdomen, and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
He was identified as Jason Clark, and lived in the same block where he was shot, according to the Cook County Medical examiner’s office.
Chicago police Superintendent David Brown held a news conference Saturday evening at the Chicago Police Headquarters to give more details on the 30-year-old female officer who was shot Friday night.
About 10:50 p.m., the officer heard shots fired while she was patrolling near 73rd Street and Jeffery Boulevard, Brown said. On 72nd Place, she and her partner saw a person lying in the street and got out of their car to render aid.
After exiting, the female officer was shot multiple times in the leg, Brown said. She and her partner got back into the car, and she drove herself to a hospital.
The officer has worked for Chicago police for two years, Brown said. She was treated and released from the hospital Saturday.
Before being released from the hospital, the officer sent out a message over the radio that said, “I just want to say thank you to everyone who responded, and I will be back soon. Have a goodnight and you all be safe,” Brown recounted.
She is the 12th Chicago police officer to be shot this year, and she is the 46th to have been shot at or shot, Brown said.
“Those are astounding numbers and illustrate the dangers our officers face every day,” Brown said.
Two people are in custody for questioning, Brown said. No charges have been filed.
Chief of detectives Brendan Deenihan said the original shooting occurred at 1968 E. 72nd Place when a 25-year-old man and a woman were going into a residence while carrying a pizza. While going up the backstairs, they ran into a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man and a confrontation occured.
“Then there’s a massive exchange of gunshots,” Deenihan said, adding that all of them other than the woman were believed to have fired shots.
The 15-year-old was shot and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition, Deenihan said.
The 18-year-old man was pronounced dead at 11:30 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His manner of death was ruled a homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds.
His name has not yet been released, pending notification of his family.
Two handguns were found at the scene, and a rifle was recovered after a search warrant was executed, Deenihan said.
Deenihan said those who are in custody have been arrested previously and detectives “have a good idea” who shot the officer but would not confirm who the person was — other than it being one of four involved in the first shooting — until the charges are finalized.
The shooting comes less than two months after community safety team Officer Ella French was killed and her partner was injured during a traffic stop in the West Englewood neighborhood.
“We’re still grieving,” Brown said. “That’s why I always try to convey how brave and courageous it is to be responding to a shots fired call. ... Our officers consistently respond to these calls even given the circumstances of our grief losing Ella French.”
The latest attack happened about 9 a.m. Saturday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood in the 700 block of North Ridgeway Avenue.
Police said two men, 33 and 30, were walking on opposite sides of the street when two people began shooting from a vehicle. The older man was struck in the mid back and left shoulder, and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
The other victim was shot in the left calf and got himself to Norwegian American Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.
About 8:50 a.m., a male victim was found shot in the head, unresponsive, in the 500 block of South Pulaski Road in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.
He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
Another man was shot shortly after 2:15 a.m. in the 9100 block of South Mackinaw Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood.
Police said a 31-year-old man was a front seat passenger when another vehicle pulled up beside him and someone fired four shots, striking the victim in the left leg. The man got himself to Advocate Trinity Hospital where his condition was stabilized, police said.
Shortly after 1:15 a.m., a 16-year-old boy was shot while he was a back seat passenger of a vehicle in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in the 4600 block of South Paulina Street, police said.
The teenage boy told police he heard shots, and felt pain in the right heel. The driver took the boy to Mount Sinai Hospital where his condition was stabilized, police said.
About. 12:30 a.m., a 26-year-old woman was shot while she was a passenger of a vehicle traveling in the same neighborhood in the 600 block of West Garfield Boulevard.
The woman said she heard shots and felt pain, but was uncooperative with police. She was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the ankle, and was listed in good condition, police said.
In other shootings overnight:
About midnight Saturday, a 23-year-old man was shot while he was outside with several people in the 2800 block of West Polk Street in the Lawndale neighborhood. Police said several males shot at him from a distance, wounding him in the left leg. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition, police said.
- Shortly before midnight, a 35-year-old man was shot while he was driving south in the 5200 block of South Halsted Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. The man suffered multiple gunshot wounds throughout the body, and was taken in serious condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center. The victim was unable to provide further details due to the severity of his injuries, police said.
- About 10:45 p.m., a 20-year-old man was shot while he was riding home on his electric scooter in the Little Village neighborhood in the 4000 block of West 25th Street. Police said the victim heard shots and felt pain. He suffered a wound to the knee, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where his condition was stabilized, police said.
- About 9:45 p.m., a 19-year-old man was shot in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in the 800 block of West 51st Place. The victim was walking outside when he heard several shots and felt pain. He suffered a wound to the wrist, and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was listed in good condition, police said.
- About 9:15 p.m., a 27-year-old man was shot behind the ear in the South Shore neighborhood in the 7200 block of South Phillips Avenue. He was taken by a family member to Jackson Park Community Hospital where he was listed in good condition, police said.
- About 7:50 p.m., a 37-year-old man was shot after an argument with a male while he was on a CTA bus in the 3700 block of North Kimball Avenue in the Irving Park neighborhood.
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