3 Teens Shot Near South Deering Park
CHICAGO (STMW) -- Three teenagers were shot while playing basketball in a Jeffrey Park neighborhood park Tuesday night.
Three Shot In South Side Park
Paramedics took all three teens to area hospitals in serious-to-critical condition after they were shot about 9 p.m. in the 2100 block of East 97th Street, Fire Media Affairs said.
Neighbors told the Sun-Times that the teens shot while playing basketball in Merrill Park Playground.
Haywood Richmond, a former track coach and security guard at South Shore High School, said he was inside his home watching the Chicago Blackhawks game when he heard eight gunshots.
Richmond ran outside to check on his nephew, who was walking in the nearby park.
His nephew was unhurt, Richmond said. However, three people -- two boys and a girl -- were shot in their lower extremities, according to police and fire officials.
A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old both suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, authorities said.
A 16-year-old boy was shot in both legs and taken to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, authorities said.
Police said the conditions of the two teens taken to Christ Hospital have been stabilized.
A pair of black Air Jordan sneakers was lying on the concrete court behind police tape Tuesday night. Police also marked where several shell casings fell on the street, just beyond the fence surrounding the park.
Gunfire is commonplace in the neighborhood, Richmond said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
