One person was killed and eight others were injured in a pair of shootings downtown Chicago late Friday night following the city’s official Christmas tree lighting hours earlier.
In the first incident, seven teenagers were shot at approximately 9:50 p.m. along North State Street near East Madison Street. According to police, officers on patrol observed a large group on the sidewalk, heard gunshots and saw a number of people fleeing the scene.
Less than an hour later, two people were shot near South Dearborn and West Adams streets, police stated. An unidentified male victim was shot multiple times and taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Mayor Brandon Johnson later identified the individual as a 14-year-old boy.
A second victim, an 18-year-old man, was shot in the leg and hospitalized in serious condition. The two incidents occurred roughly three blocks apart.
The following victims were injured in the initial shooting:
- 14-year-old boy sustained a graze wound to the stomach and listed in good condition
- 15-year-old boy was shot in the left thigh and reported to be in good condition
- 17-year-old boy was shot in the left thigh and listed in good condition
- 14-year-old girl shot in the right hip and listed in good condition
- 15-year-old boy sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg and reported to be in good condition
- 14-year-old boy shot in the leg and said to be in good condition
- 13-year-old girl shot in the leg and listed in fair condition
Video posted on the Citizen app showed dozens nearby as first responders assisted those who were injured.
Both shootings were reported just hours after thousands rang in the holiday season with the official Christmas tree lighting ceremony nearby at Millennium Park.
Johnson addressed the shootings ahead of an unrelated event on Saturday morning, saying, “incidents like last night set us back as a city and evoke fear.”
“I recognize this feels like emotional whiplash after this incredible celebration last night, where thousands of people gathered Chicagoans who were enjoying our tree lighting ceremony, thousands of Chicagoans came to express their love for our city…” he said, in part.
Johnson, discussing the spate of gun violence, blasted what he referred to as “unsanctioned after-gatherings” and called on adults to do their best to accompany young people at such large community events.
The shootings occurred despite a heightened law enforcement presence of 700 additional officers and violence intervention workers in the area, the mayor stated. As a result of the violence on Friday night, Chicago police will deploy 300 more officers for Saturday evening’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.
Ald. Brian Hopkins, in a post on social media late Friday, initially said at least five people had been shot in the Loop, and multiple police officers sustained injuries. It wasn’t immediately clear if any officers were injured.
Five guns were recovered following the shootings downtown, Johnson said.
Police were continuing to investigate both incidents as of Saturday morning, and no arrests had been reported.
Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in either incident.
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