Chicago police searching for shooter after 4, including teen girl, wounded outside Zumba studio

Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Witnesses describe shooting that wounded 4, including teen, after Chicago Zumba class
Witnesses described a shooting that wounded 4, including a teen girl, after a Chicago Zumba class.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A teenage girl and three adults are recovering from injuries after being shot in the Back of Yards neighborhood Monday night.

Police are still searching for the people responsible for the shooting, which began on the street outside a Zumba studio in the 1500-block of West 51st Street just before 8:30 p.m.

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Three bullet holes pierced the windows of the studio.

In the end, police said a 48-year-old woman, a 57-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were all injured, along with the teenage girl. None of them were the intended targets of the shooting; though, the exact circumstances are not yet known.

Three of the four shooting victims were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment, including the 13-year-old, who is being treated at Comer Children's Hospital for a gunshot wound to her back. She is said to be in fair condition.

Neighbors said the business only recently moved into the location, and they were not familiar with any of the injured.

"Shots rang out. You know, they're so close. You know, all I could do is duck," said Edgar Brown, who lives in the building that was hit by gunfire. "Fireworks, like the Fourth of July all over again. It was so close I hit the ground in my hallway because I don't know where it's coming from."

He said he heard at least 10 gunshots.

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"I looked out, and I saw a cop chase a car, but I didn't know a kid got hit," Brown said.

It appears that all four will recover from their injuries at this point. Police said they are still searching for those involved in the shooting.

The studio is closed Tuesday.

A woman who was in the Zumba class said the teen girl is her friend's daughter, who remains in the hospital, with a bullet still lodged in her back.

Olivia Gonzalez said the group of 20 or so had just finished the class, and were getting ready to take a picture together when chaos erupted.

Everyone ducked for cover.

The Zumba instructor visited the studio Tuesday, but was too shaken to speak with ABC7 Chicago.

"We need more police to be able to patrol. These kids, there's a school right here. There are kids that walk right here. These are good people," Brown said.

One of the customers of the Zumba studio said the owner told her they plan to close the location before tragedy strikes again.

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