Chicago shootings: 31 shot, 4 fatally, in weekend gun violence across city, police say

Karen Jordan Image
Monday, June 12, 2023
Chicago's top cop thanks officers after at least 30 shot over weekend
Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller thanked officers for their efforts during Puerto Rican Day events after a violent weekend.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Interim Chicago Police Supt. Fred Waller held a press conference on Monday, thanking officers and community leaders on what's being called a safe and successful Puerto Rican Festival and parade weekend.

Although no incidents were reported during the Humboldt Park events, Waller said the department has been looking at how to better deploy resources during future events.

WATCH: Interim CPD Supt. Fred Waller speaks after violent weekend

Chicago shootings this weekend left at least 31 people shot, four fatally, according to police.

"We were stretched pretty thin this weekend, along the lakefront and on the beaches because we had so many resources here," Waller said.

Community activist Andrew Holmes said with summer activities in full swing, it's not just up to police officers to keep the peace. Neighbors can look out for each other.

"If Humboldt Park can come together, the whole city can come together in different areas, as far as from Englewood to the East Side, the West Side, and combat this gun violence," Holmes said.

At least 31 people were shot, four fatally, in shootings across the city over the weekend, police said. Three people were shot at a CTA station on the city's South Side.

Waller said, going forward, the police department is working on being able to pivot and move officers where they are needed and adding more officers to the mass transit unit.

"We always strive to do better. We're never satisfied. We did a little bit better than we did the previous weekend but we're never satisfied with what we're doing," Waller said.

Waller also thanked officers whose days off were canceled to work the Puerto Rican Festival and parade, and said, going forward, there's always still more work to be done to make sure every event is safe.

Weekend shootings

Two men were shot, one fatally, Sunday morning in Chicago Lawn on the South Side. They were outside in the 3100-block of West Redfield Drive when someone approached them and fired shots about 8 a.m., according to Chicago police. The older man, 30, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead. The other man, 25, was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.

Later Sunday, a 20-year-old man was shot and killed in the North Lawndale neighborhood. He was standing on a sidewalk about 6 p.m. in the 1900-block of South St. Louis Avenue when someone approached in a vehicle and fired shots, striking him multiple times, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Around 1 a.m. Sunday, a man was fatally shot on a street in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Santos Rodriguez, 27, was shot multiple times while he was in the 3700-block of West Division Street, police and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died.

Three people - ages 16, 18 and 19 - were shot near a CTA station in the first-block of West 95th Street around 2:45 p.m. Sunday. A 19-year-old man fought with someone on the sidewalk before running into the train station vestibule, according to police. The person he fought with fired shots, striking the three teens. The 16-year-old boy was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the arm and back. The other two were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where the 18-year-old was in good condition and the 19-year-old was in fair condition.

A 16-year-old boy was shot on a porch in Belmont Cragin Saturday night. He was on a back porch of a residence in the 5300-block of West Oakdale Avenue around 9:30 p.m. when someone fired a gun, striking him in the head, police said. He was listed in critical condition at Illinois Masonic Hospital.

Three other teens - a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy - were also wounded in separate shootings on the city's South and West Sides over the weekend.

Last weekend, 46 people were shot, nine fatally.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

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