Shooting Outside Funeral Home Upsets Community; 'The Police Were Tipped'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There were victims 15 following a shootout on the sidewalk outside an Auburn Gresham funeral home Tuesday evening, and nearly a day later, there was no one in custody.
There were 10 female victims and five male victims in the shooting outside Rhodes Funeral Services at 1018 W. 79th St., according to an update from Chicago police early Wednesday morning. The victims range in age from 21 to 65 years old.
As CBS 2's Steven Graves reported, one of the victims was the sister of the man for whom the funeral was being held.
Community leaders are confident the violence could have been prevented.
New surveillance video shows the shocking and horrifying moments when dozens of shots ring out as people mourn outside the funeral home along 79th and Carpenter streets. The service Tuesday night was for 31-year-old Donnie Weathersby, killed in a drive-by shooting last week.
Police said this was gang retaliation. Of the 15 people who were injured, at least one was a bystander.
"For my daughter to see all of the ambulance and police cars and see the young man in the stretcher, stuff like that is trauma," said Joseph Williams, Founder of Mr. Dad's Father's Club. The community activist was eating with his daughter nearby when it happened.
"The problem I have with this is that the police in the city of Chicago were tipped," Williams said.
"And all week I tried to talk to anybody that would listen. The State's Attorney's Office, the (Cook County) Sheriff's Department, the CPD, because I want it to do whatever I could to prevent this," said Tamar Manasseh of Mothers/Men Against Senseless Killings.
She said she had knowledge of a possible shooting from community members. On Wednesday, CPD's top cop said the department did respond appropriately, as they would to any gang funeral threat.
"A squad car presence. There were two, not one. And there was a full tactical team in the area," said CPD Superintendent David Brown.
The tactical team, meaning an unmarked police car. Police didn't say if officers were patrolling the area or staked out in front.
"I've been to funerals where they've had helicopters where they've had armored tanks, the police armored vehicles. I have been to funerals where I've seen like the whole church surrounded," said Manasseh "I mean, I didn't see anybody out there and you're on 79th Street. And 79th Street is a really busy street."
As the terror subsides, frustration is mounting from those looking at police who are asking for the public's help in solving another act of summer violence.
"How do you ask the community to step up, to help, to contact tip lines, to give you support," asked Williams. "When in fact, you're not really listening to the community?"
Police were questioning someone but that person has been released. CPD is now looking for two gunmen and a driver. There's a $15,000 reward for information. The money is coming from St. Sabina Church.
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