Bridgeport shooting: Man shot during argument inside Buffalo Wings and Rings restaurant, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A brazen attack happened inside a South Side popular restaurant and bar on Friday night, leaving one man fighting for his life, Chicago police said.

The Bridgeport is community is on-edge on Saturday after a man was critically wounded when gunfire erupted during an argument inside the busy Buffalo Wings and Rings.

"I don't know. We're not coming back. I don't know. It's crazy," said neighborhood resident Robin Carberry.

It happened around 11:30 p.m. near West 34th Street and South Halsted Street, frightening some patrons and neighborhood residents.

"I'm so scared he'll come back here," Carberry said.

Witnesses told police that the trouble began shortly after a 32-year-old man, who appeared to have been a restaurant customer, was approached by two other men and got into some sort of verbal dispute inside the busy eatery.

"It's a nice spot," said neighborhood resident Laron Gibson. "Watch sports. This is where I usually come, and I bring my girl, and we sit down."

Investigators said it wasn't long after the men started arguing that one of them pulled out a gun and shot the 32-year-old victim several times before running out of the restaurant. The community is shocked.

"We really don't see anything crazy going on so, this is like, within my eight years working here, this is my first time seeing something like this happening next door," said Alex with Smokey's Smoke Shop.

The victim was rushed to an area hospital in critical condition.

Detectives on the scene recovered a gun inside the restaurant. They recovered another firearm in a nearby alley.

Alderwoman Nicole Lee, whose 11th Ward is home to the sports bar and restaurant, said although violence in the generally-safe area is a rarity, police plan to increase patrols.

"It is really frightening, the number of incidents now that involve guns," Lee said. "Obviously, this was a shooting. We know that while murders and shootings might be down, the use of guns in the commission of crimes in this city feels very high right now."

Authorities said no one else was hurt in the shooting.

So far, no one is in custody and no arrests have been made.

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