At Least 11 Killed, Dozens Injured in Violent July Fourth Across Chicago

Tragedy unfolded across Chicago throughout the Fourth of July holiday. A surge in gun violence left at least eleven people dead and over 50 injured in separate shootings.

One particularly concerning incident involved eight people being shot in the Little Italy neighborhood overnight. Around 1:44 am, police responded to reports of gunfire in the 1300 block of West Hastings. Investigators believe an exchange of fire erupted between two individuals at the Abla Homes Housing Complex.

The violence continued throughout the night. Eight people, ranging in age from 74 to 18, were wounded in a shooting on the Little Italy neighborhood’s 1300 block of West Hastings. Fortunately, all are expected to survive.

On the West Side, officers responded to another shooting just before 2 am, finding six victims in the 100 block of South Menard. The injured included two women (18 and 20 years old), a 15-year-old boy, and three men between 23 and 25. All were transported to hospitals and are expected to recover.

Later Friday morning, a grim discovery awaited police in the 3400 block of East 87th Street. A man and woman were found shot to death, though no further details were released by authorities.

A 43-year-old man was found shot multiple times in the 1200 block of West Washburne around 2:00 am. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead by medical personnel.

In a separate incident, tragedy struck closer to home for a young person. Police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of South Central Park around 1:40 am. There, they found a 16-year-old girl suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

A 34-year-old man was critically wounded by gunfire around 1:00 am in the 6200 block of South Laflin. Rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

Adding to the tragedy, another shooting claimed the life of a 43-year-old man around 2:00 am in the 1200 block of West Washburne. He was found shot and transported to the hospital, but later pronounced dead.

A senseless act of violence unfolded in the 900 block of North LeClaire before midnight on Thursday. A gunman opened fire on three women who were standing outside. A 59-year-old woman tragically died from her wounds after being transported to the hospital. Another woman, 29 years old, sustained a gunshot wound to her torso and is listed in fair condition. The third woman, in her 40s, suffered critical injuries from shots to the head and hip.

In a separate incident around the same time, another life was lost to gun violence. On the 6000 block of South Winchester Avenue, a 35-year-old man was shot and killed during an altercation with another man.

Adding to the night’s tragedies, a 30-year-old man was fatally shot in Auburn Gresham. While standing with a crowd of people on the 8400 block of South Kerfoot Avenue around 11:00 pm Thursday, an unknown assailant shot the man in the torso. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.

A horrific shooting shattered the peace of Chicago’s Grand Crossing neighborhood early on the Fourth of July. Two women and a child were tragically killed when a group of gunmen opened fire on a home in the 7100 block of South Woodlawn Avenue.

46-year-old Nakeeshia Strong and her 24-year-old cousin Caprice Edwards lost their lives in the attack. Family members say Edwards heroically shielded her 1-year-old child from the gunfire. An 8-year-old boy also died in the shooting, while two other young boys, ages 5 and 7, remain in critical condition.

This incident marks a grim escalation of gun violence compared to last year’s Fourth of July weekend, where Chicago police data shows 57 shootings with 8 fatalities.