Woman charged in Lake Shore Drive shooting near Grant Park

CHICAGO -- A 26-year-old woman has been charged with attempted murder after a shooting critically injured a 19-year-old woman on Lake Shore Drive on Saturday, Chicago police said.

The shooting occurred at about 1:20 p.m. in the 300-block of South Lake Shore Drive.

Police said the victim was inside a white Dodge Caliber that was stopped at a stoplight on Lake Shore Drive at East Jackson Drive. Another vehicle pulled alongside and police said there was a conversation between people in each vehicle.

Someone inside the second vehicle fired shots into the Dodge Caliber, wounding the 19-year-old woman in the head, police said.

The victim's car fled north and eventually exited and stopped on the 600-block of East Grand Avenue.

The woman was then transported to Northwestern memorial Hospital, where she remains in critical condition at last check.

Wednesday morning, police said Jennifer Medina, 26, has been charged with one count of attempted murder. Police said she was the driver of the vehicle that the shots were fired from.

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Medina and her three passengers allegedly taunted and threw gang signs at the couple, asking them where they were from while both cars were stopped at a red light at Jackson Boulevard Saturday afternoon.

The couple tried ignoring them as the gunman stepped out of Medina's car and said, "You can get it anywhere you want," according to Assistant State's Attorney James Murphy.

As the light turned green, the man got back into Medina's car and allegedly fired one shot. The bullet went through the woman's nose and through the side of her head, Murphy said.

The woman's boyfriend tried to apply pressure to the wound while driving away from Medina and the shooter. But Medina allegedly maneuvered in front of him, blocking lanes of traffic as he tried to pass several times, Murphy said.

Medina's passenger continued to lean out the car window and allegedly fired more shots that struck the couple's car's rear window.

Although Medina didn't pull the trigger, Murphy argued that should be held without bail because she chased down the victims, allowing the gunman to fire his weapon.

"There's one shot fired, and if it stopped there, that's one thing... but this defendant doesn't stop there. She continues to weave in and out of traffic... trying to chase the victim down so her co-offenders can fire more shots at that car," Murphy said.

Medina, of Bridgeview, allegedly admitted to driving the wanted car, which belonged to her parents.

The gunman and Medina's two other passengers have not yet been charged.

Medina is a mother of two and has no criminal background, her defense attorney said. She graduated from the 11th grade and works in the dietary field, the attorney said.

Judge Susanna Ortiz ordered Medina held without bail.

WLS-TV contributed to this report