Riverdale shooting that led to police chase leaves 1 dead, 1 injured

Eric Horng Image
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
2 shot in Riverdale
A man was killed and a woman was injured in a shooting in south suburban Riverdale on Tuesday afternoon.

RIVERDALE, Ill. (WLS) -- A man was killed and a woman was injured in a shooting in south suburban Riverdale on Tuesday afternoon. A man then allegedly left the scene with two children before being arrested after a police pursuit that ended in Chicago.

Police said Kevin Denson, 35, was found with multiple gunshot wounds and later died. A woman was shot in the arm but is expected to survive.

Shakell Williams was on the block in his car when he said he heard six or seven shots and then saw a man.

"He got out of the house and had two kids, and I'm thinking what's he doing? So he just got in the car and drove off," Williams said.

Police said two people were shot in the home around 4:30 p.m. near 138th and Stewart in Riverdale.

"Riverdale police officers received information that a subject was putting children in a vehicle. Riverdale officers attempted to stop the vehicle," said Chief David DeMik, Riverdale Police Dept.

"He told him to stop, but he kept going. That's all I heard, 'Put your hands up!' And the car just pulled off. I thought he was going to hit my car," Williams said.

Police say they pursued the vehicle before the chase ended on Chicago's Far South Side near 116th and Laflin, where police ordered the driver out of the vehicle.

"They told him to walk backwards. He walked backwards. They put him on the ground. Rushed in the car and got the kids out, and that was it," said Linda Williams, a witness.

The two young children, both boys, were unharmed.

"The Riverdale Police are not releasing the identities of the victims until the family members can be notified. At this point, this is a very fluid situation. Information is still being gathered," DeMik said.

Police are not offering a motive, but will only say this was not a random shooting. The man who allegedly fled the scene with those two boys was taken into custody, but police won't confirm he's the shooter.