Man shot 6 times in groin walking to Cook County courthouse, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A person was taken into custody moments after they allegedly shot a 21-year-old man Monday outside the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

About 9:30 a.m., the victim was walking to the courthouse, located in the 2600 block of South California, when someone fired shots from a white van that was driving by, according to Chicago police.

The man suffered six gunshot wounds to the groin area, and was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.

Two off-duty police officers who were entering the courthouse saw the shooting and pursued the shooter. Charges were pending Monday evening, police said. A weapon was also recovered from the area, police said.

Most of the bullet casing were found on the street in front of a bus shelter in front of the Popeye's restaurant across from the courthouse.

The area is typically busy during all times of the day. Ross Garcia and Irene Ramos, who work at a loan modification office next door witnesses some of the incident.

"I went outside and I saw the guy on the floor and the police were all over looking for the suspect," Ramos said.

"I saw a guy running down the parking lot and I was wondering who it was and then I saw the police after him," Garcia said.

Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.