Person of interest released without charges after 3 shot on CTA bus on South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police questioned a person of interest after a shooting on a CTA bus left three people, including two teenagers, wounded Monday, but released him without charges after determining he was not the shooter.

The shooting occurred on a northbound 75 bus in the 7600-block of South State Street, just off the Dan Ryan Expressway, in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood at about 6:17 p.m., police said.

Police said there was an argument between a 35-year-old man, an 18-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman on the bus. During the altercation, the 35-year-old pulled out a gun and shot the victims.

An 18-year-old man was struck in the chest, arm and stomach and hospitalized and critical but stable condition, police said. An 18-year-old woman was struck in the underarm and hospitalized in good condition.

A 59-year-old man took himself to St. Bernard Hospital with a graze wound to his left side, police said. He has been treated and released.

"Bullets started flying everywhere, four or five shots. And I ducked, sir, I don't know what happened," said witness Cheryl Sparks.

Witnesses said as the shooter ran, he fired at the outside of the bus, then ran off into the neighborhood east of State Street.

There are cameras on and around the CTA bus. Police said the shooting was likely captured on video.

"There's video in the CTA bus we'll be looking at, are in the process of getting," said Chicago Police Sergeant Rocco Alioto. "It's high-def video that will give us an idea of what exactly transpired."

Area South detectives are investigating.