1 injured in Dan Ryan Expressway shooting on South Side

ByLiz Nagy and ABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Friday, February 26, 2021
1 injured in Dan Ryan Expressway shooting
One person was injured in a shooting on the Dan Ryan Expressway Thursday afternoon, Illinois State Police said.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man was injured in a shooting on the Dan Ryan Expressway Thursday afternoon, Illinois State Police said.

State police said the shooting took place in the I-94 northbound local lanes just south of Garfield Boulevard around 1:15 p.m.

SEE ALSO | Stevenson Expressway shooting near Cicero leaves 2 hurt, Illinois State Police say

The 24-year-old man was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, state police said. No further details about the man have been released.

There were at least three bullet holes visible in the Kia red sedan.

"There were three shots, it's really sad," said Tanya Henderson, the victim's aunt. "We're glad he only got hit one time in the leg."

A woman and a juvenile were also inside the car at the time of the shooting, Illinois State Police said, but neither were injured. Family said the child in the car was the man's 5-month-old son.

"Everything's OK from my knowledge, and that's all. I don't know, the baby is OK. My great grandbaby is OK. Thank the Lord," said Valerie Nelson, the victim's grandmother.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear and state police did not offer any further details. The car eventually came to a stop at 35th and Wentworth.

The investigation is ongoing, Illinois State Police said.

Expressway shootings in the Chicago area have skyrocketed, up 345% over the last year according to state police records. So far in 2021 troopers have responded to 38 shootings on Chicago area expressways, compared to just 11 for the same period in 2020.

Wednesday police also shut down part of the Stevenson Expressway for hours after witnesses said two men unleashed a volley of gunfire on a black Toyota near Cicero. A 46-year-old woman and 20-year-old man were injured.