Police held an outdoor roll call on the city's South Side Tuesday in wake of the deadly violence. The roll call took place near the intersection of 87th and South Exchange, less than half a block from where a 10-year-old girl was shot to death Monday in broad daylight.
The police roll call was supposed to make the neighbors on South Exchange feel safer. But Linda Williams says she's had enough.
"I'm not going to be here by next summer," said Linda Williams, girl's mother.
Williams feels more vulnerable than ever after suspected gang-related gunfire Labor Day afternoon killed her 10-year-old daughter Nequiel Fowler as the girl walked on the sidewalk with her blind, 7-year-old little sister.
Her mother says Nequiel was looking forward to the first day of school.
"Only thing she wanted was to go to school. She had a new book bag, her uniform out and everything, you know, she was ready," Williams said.
Nequiel, who was supposed to begin fourth grade at the Arnold Mireles Academy, was the second Chicago Public Schools student and the third child killed by suspected gang crossfire over the long holiday weekend.
Thirteen-year-old Eternity Gaddy, visiting from Pennsylvania, was shot Sunday afternoon in Humboldt Park and 16-year-old Terrence Jones, a junior at Morgan Park High School, was gunned down Sunday night on a basketball court near his home.
"It's unbelievable. I mean, he had a lot to look forward to. Now he's gone. It's nonsense," said Jerry Wiliams, Jones relative.
The outrage over the killings was expressed as far away as the mayor's office.
"You wonder what type of people are doing this. It's unbelievable. These gangs and drug dealers don't care about your kids or anybody else's children. They're the enemy of society," said Mayor Daley.
Monday night, police searched a home in the 8700-block of S. Escanaba, about one block from where Nequiel Fowler was killed, and found what police say is a handgun that may have used in the shooting.
"There will be zero tolerance for the gangs that are involved. We will not rest until these people have been brought to justice," said Jody Weis, Chicago Police superintendent.
On South Exchange, residents want Nequiel's killer to turn himself in as soon as possible.
"You should come forward, whoever you are, and say who you are. That's awful what you did," said Yla Leggett, neighborhood resident.
ABC7 has learned from police sources that investigators have a good idea who they are looking for and they expect to have the suspect, or suspects, in custody sooner rather than later.
