Watch CBS News

Police Seek 3 Suspects In Slaying Of 2 Teens In Bronzeville

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police are searching for three people involved in a shooting that killed two teenage boys Wednesday afternoon just blocks from Guaranteed Rate Field.

The shooting started with an altercation at 35th and State, near the Youth Connection Leadership Academy, a charter school on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology. The altercation continued west to 35th and LaSalle, near the Sox-35th Red Line station, where the two victims were shot around 3 p.m.

The boys, 16 and 17, possibly students at Youth Connection, were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Both later were pronounced dead.

Investigators recovered more than a dozen shell casings at the scene.

The victims' names have not been released, but CBS 2 has learned one of the boys, the 16-year-old, was a student at Youth Connection.

Chicago Public Schools officials said it's an alternative school designed to help students get back on the right track. About 200 students attend the school.

One student heading to class on Thursday, who asked to remain anonymous, said "it's a decent school."

"I guess it's an alternative school. So other people from different neighborhoods all go here. It's all different types of different people here. You don't know who's gang-banging, or who is who," he said.

The shooting was alarming for White Sox fans as they headed to the ballpark for Wednesday night's game against the Indians.

"You know, it hurts. It hurts. It really hurts that we're trying to have a good time, and unfortunately somebody got killed, and their families are mourning," Guillerima Mendez said.

On game day or not, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said the area is heavily saturated with on- and off-duty police officers, as Police Headquarters is located across the street from the school.

"There's a lot of eyes. I mean, me for instance. I missed it by a couple of minutes, the incident. So that's why I'm out here now. I've been out here since it occurred. So we have a high volume of police officers," Johnson said.

Johnson blamed social media for driving feuds that often erupt into violence.

"We have to do a better job at policing our own homes and neighborhoods," Johnson said. "We absolutely have to be serious about holding individuals accountable."

Investigators are checking police pod cameras in the area to see if they can help identify the shooters, who fled the scene in a beige Ford Explorer, which later found in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. Police said the vehicle had been set on fire in the 100 block of West 68th Street.

Police found charred remains of a getaway car five miles from the crime scene. The torched Ford Explorer was hauled off from 68th and Perry to be processed for evidence.

Police said they have been talking to at least one witness, and have good leads in the case.

No one was in custody Thursday. Area Central detectives were investigating.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.