Man Shot Near Merchandise Mart, East Bank Club
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man was shot near the downtown Merchandise Mart Wednesday morning as commuters were walking to work.
The shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m. in a docking area at the Apparel Center, 350 North Orleans, that's near the Merchandise Mart and upscale East Bank Club, police and onlookers said.
The 47-year-old man, who suffered a graze wound to the head, held up a thumb as paramedics rushed him into an ambulance heading toward Northwestern Memorial Hospital. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Several witnesses said they heard two shots fired in short succession and then saw a masked man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark cargo pants, run west over the Kinzie Street bridge.
"It just seemed like a random shooting," said Bill Fishback, who was walking towards the building when he witnessed the shooting. "I was coming up the sidewalk when I heard gunshots and saw a guy fall to the ground."
The shooting occurred as several construction workers were arriving to the building to begin their morning shifts.
"We has just finished smoking a cigarette when we came inside. Then we heard two shots," said Tim Carmody, who works at a construction site in the building. "The (building) guard turned to us and said, 'You guys hear fireworks?'"
Another construction worker, who declined to give his name, said he saw two men run away in different directions after he heard gunshots.
