19-year-old woman killed in Pottawattomie Park shooting ID'd; sister among 3 others wounded

'I wish I would've been there to save her life': Victims' father

ByTre Ward, Eric Horng, and ABC7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Monday, February 26, 2024
Woman killed in North Side park shooting ID'd; sister among 3 injured
Keyonce Gladney was killed in a Rogers Park shooting on Sunday. Her sister was among three others wounded in the incident at Pottawattomie Park.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The pain is fresh as Courtney Gladney arrived at a Chicago police station after driving from Minnesota, bracing for a new and heart-wrenching reality.

His daughters were two of four people shot on Sunday afternoon at Pottawattomie Park in Rogers Park.

The youngest one, 19-year-old Keyonce Gladney, was the only one who didn't survive.

"I miss her so much, man. I'm sorry she was in that predicament. I wish she would've called me and let me know. I wish I would've been there to save her life," Courtney said.

His 21-year-old daughter, Keilaysia Gladney, is now out of the hospital. She was shot in her foot.

"When she fell, when she fell, I thought she just tripped. I was like, 'Keyonce, c'mon. We've got to go.' She wasn't getting up," Keilaysia said.

She was such a beautiful person, and I'm going to miss her so much
Kanani Jones, sister

The trauma for her remains.

"She's hurt right now. I can't talk to her on the phone, so I drove up here so I can. But she's doing real bad that she was with her sister and witnessed that her sister's gone now," Courtney said.

Keyonce was the ray of light for her family, all from Minnesota, when tragedy struck in Chicago, which she was visiting.

The shooting happened just after 3:30 p.m.

Police said two suspects, one wearing a ski mask, walked into the park off North Rogers Avenue and started shooting at Keyonce, Keilaysia and two men. Chicago police said Keyonce was shot in her chest.

"It keeps playing back in my head, everything. Her running. Her staring into space. Her, everything," Keilaysia said.

The male victims, 19 and 20 years old, were taken to Saint Francis Hospital in good condition.

"She was such a beautiful person, and I'm going to miss her so much," said Kanani Jones, Keyonce's other sister.

Relatives say Keyonce was in beauty school in Minnesota and that she was beautiful inside and out.

"She had asked for a Bible for Christmas, so she really wanted to get closer to God and just really find herself as a 19-year-old," said Kourtnee Gladney, another sister.

I wish I would've been there to save her life
Courtney Gladney, father

Chicago police said the two suspects ran away northbound on Winchester Avenue. So far, no one is in custody.

"Hopefully, we can get something from the police and they can find out who did it," Courtney said. "You all took my baby away from me. Turn yourselves in."

If you have any information that could help police and give these victims' family peace, please contact police.

This story initially said Keyonce Gladney was 18 years old based on information from the medical examiner's office. Her family clarified she was 19 years old.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.

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