Chicago shootings: Off-duty officer among 20 shot, 4 fatally, in weekend gun violence, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- At least 20 people have been shot, four fatally, in shootings across Chicago since 6 p.m. Friday. An off-duty Chicago police officer was among those killed.

The CPD officer died after being shot before 2 a.m. Saturday in the 8100-block of South Blackstone Avenue in the Avalon Park neighborhood, police said. The officer was identified as 24-year-old Areanah Preston by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

Two other homicides happened on Friday evening on the South Side in the Englewood and West Englewood neighborhoods.

A 26-year-old man was fatally shot multiple times just before 9:30 p.m. Friday in the 6000-block of South Carpenter Street, police said. There is currently no one in custody, and area detectives are investigating. No more information was immediately available.

Minutes later, a 27-year-old man was shot while loading groceries into his vehicle Friday evening, police said. The shooting took place just after 9:30 p.m. in the 7000-block of South Ashland Avenue. Witnesses said an unknown man approached the victim and began shooting before fleeing on foot. Area detectives are investigating and no one is in custody.

Another man was killed in a drive-by shooting Sunday afternoon in East Garfield Park on the West Side. The man was walking in the 200-block of North St. Louis Avenue just before 4 p.m. when someone drove up in a dark Jeep and a person opened fire, Chicago police said. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as 25-year-old Desean Smith. He was shot in the chest, stomach and right side, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died. No arrests were reported.

A 21-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were shot just before 1 a.m. Saturday in the 3500-block of West 13th Place, police said. The man, shot twice, was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The woman, shot once, was taken to the same hospital in fair condition.

Minutes later, another shooting happened in the 10-100-block of North Mason Avenue, police said. A 25-year-old man was grazed in the back by gunfire while sitting in a parked vehicle. He was taken to a hospital in good condition.

A 37-year-old man was shot in the mouth on Saturday afternoon. The shooting happened just before 1 p.m. in the 1500-block of North Harding Avenue, police said. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. No other information was immediately available.

A 48-year-old man was grazed on his foot about 5 p.m. in the 1800-block of West 18th Street. He was outside when two vehicles approached and fired shots at each other. The victim was not the intended target, but he is in good condition.

Two 28-year-old men were shot in the leg about 6:15 p.m. in the 1100-block of West 18th Street. They were sitting on the steps when a male suspect walked up and shot them both. They are in good condition.

A 41-year-old woman was a passenger in a vehicle when a group of male suspects on the street pointed a gun in her direction, just before 10:30 p.m. in the 1000-block of West 70th Street. She was shot in the face and chest and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.

A 22-year-old woman was the passenger in a vehicle just before 11:20 p.m. in the 1300-block of West 47th Street, when a fight broke out on the sidewalk. A suspect fired multiple shots into the crowd, and she was shot in the upper back. She remained in good condition.

A 27-year-old man was driving south in the 4500-block of South Honore Street about 12:25 a.m. Sunday, when he saw a group standing on the corner. He then heard shots and felt pain, after being shot three times in the right shoulder. He was taken to Mt. Sinai hospital in critical condition.

A 59-year-old man was walking in an alley in the 5500-block of South Bishop Street about 12:35 a.m. when two male suspects brandished guns and demanded his belongings. The suspects shot him in the hip and leg, but he remained in good condition.

A 27-year-old man and two other male victims were exiting a business just before 2:30 a.m. in the 5300-block of South Lake Park Avenue when shots were fired into the crowd. The 27-year-old was shot in the arm and remained in good condition, the second victim was shot in the abdomen and was in good condition and the third was shot in the abdomen and hip and was taken to University of Chicago in critical condition. A black charger was seen driving away from the scene.

Last weekend, 27 people were shot, five fatally.

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