6 People, Mostly Teenage Girls, Shot Outside West Side Party
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Shots were fired at a party in Chicago's South Austin neighborhood Saturday night, and a day later, several young people were recovering from injuries.
It all began just before midnight near Ohio Street and Lavergne Avenue. Most of the six shooting victims were teenage girls, and the youngest was just 12 years old.
As CBS 2's Meredith Barack reported, at least two of the victims were rushed to Stroger Hospital of Cook County. The majority suffered gunshot wounds their back sides.
At the scene Sunday afternoon, Solo cups and sneakers were scattered about Ohio Street. Meanwhile, those who live nearby were shocked something so violent could happen so close to home.
"I didn't think of it to be gunfire - I just thought it was firecrackers," said one woman, who asked not to be identified.
The woman said she then heard what sounded like 10 to 15 rapid-fire gunshots.
"But then I did hear the running and the shouting, so I just got up to check to see what was what - and the next thing I saw was the police everywhere," the woman said.
Another neighbor told us she estimated there were at least 200 young people at the party.
One attendee's dad returned to the scene to search for his son's iPhone. His son told him he tossed the phone and ran when a dark-colored sport-utility vehicle went by and someone fired shots into the group standing outside.
"It devastated me, because I just remember the time when we could come outside, sit on our porches, enjoy each other," the woman who lives nearby said, "and just to think something as simple as a gathering leads to someone getting hurt. I just hate to hear that over and over again that our young people are getting shot - continuously."
Three of the victims were taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County. A 15-year-old girl was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with a graze wound to the head. The youngest victim, who is 12, suffered a graze wound to her hand. Family members drove her to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. The sixth victim was a 25-year-old man who was shot in the backside and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was treated and released.
"It's just like, to see the yellow tape over there, it's kind of devastating when you start seeing the reality of how close it was - and I think that's what bothers me, and how close everything has gotten," the woman said.
As of late Sunday, there was still no one in custody. Area Four detectives continued to investigate.
