Campaign Volunteer Shot While Passing Out Flyers In 15th Ward
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Joseph Williams, a candidate for alderman in the 15th Ward, said he needs to make security changes to his campaign, after a volunteer was shot in the leg while canvassing in West Englewood on Sunday.
Maxwell Little was helping pass out flyers for Williams around 1:45 p.m. Sunday near 66th and Marshfield, and broadcasting his effort on Facebook Live, when gunshots rang out.
Police said a man in a red mask fired several shots, hitting Little in the leg. His live stream on Facebook was interrupted, and the gunman is not visible on the video.
Willams himself was there when the bullets started flying.
"My family was out there with me. We had our campaign workers out there with us," he said. "I was actually talking to a resident at the time we heard the shots go off; heard about 5 or 6 shots go off, and then Maxwell came running past us."
Little is a first-time campaign volunteer, and was stumping for Williams when he was shot.
Little logged onto Facebook again from the hospital, and said the shooting was not random.
"I think it's a nervous situation. I think you have no choice, but to be nervous," Williams said. "I tell you one thing I'll be going for, I'll make sure my kids aren't out with me anymore."
Williams and his team planned to return to the campaign trail as early as Monday afternoon.
"We won't let this stop us. We're going to be on the front end, and we're going to be a part of helping the violence stop right here in Englewood," he said.
The incumbent alderman, Ray Lopez, has his ward office about two blocks away from the shooting. He called the attack "mindless."
"Campaign or not, it is completely unacceptable and unfortunate that someone would feel compelled to shoot at someone simply because they did not recognize him from the community," he said in a statement.
Little was in good condition, recovering at Little Company of Mary Hospital.
No one was in custody Monday morning. Area South detectives were investigating.
