Loop shooting: Chicago police searching for gunmen who killed 2 students outside of high school
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two teenage boys were shot and killed while walking out of a high school Friday afternoon in the Loop, Chicago police said.
As two families and a community mourn, Chicago police have continued to search for the gunmen responsible for the brazen daylight ambush.
It appeared to be business as usual on Saturday, just a day after the boys were gunned down in front of their downtown high school.
Many of the bullet-riddled windows have been boarded up following the slaying of 16-year-old Robert Boston and 17-year-old Monterio Williams.
Friends said the boys knew each other and so did their families. Community activist Andrew Holmes said the boys' mothers are devastated by their loss.
"I talked to her. She's a very praying woman. She believes in justice, and she believes the Chicago Police Department is going to solve this case," Holmes said.
Investigators said both teens were shot and killed Friday afternoon near Wabash and Washington streets as they left school with a group of friends.
The teens were students at Chicago Public Schools charter school Innovations High School. It is an alternative school servicing 450 academically-challenged and troubled students.
That's when witnesses said a dark-colored car and a dark-colored SUV pulled up, and masked gunmen got out and opened fire.
Authorities said while some of the attackers got away in the vehicles, at least two of them ran away.
The wounded students were rushed to an area hospital, where they were both pronounced dead.
Friends said Williams was only two weeks away from celebrating his 18th birthday and had plans to attend trade school after graduation.
A statement posted on social media by the teens' school reads, in part, "This incident has devastated our students, faculty, staff, and community at large. We appreciate the outpouring of support as our school grapples with this senseless act of violence."
Investigators called the attack isolated, and are combing through security camera video from the area.
"And also, at the same time, who and if anybody made a call from the school saying that these two individuals were walking down the street, this was definitely an execution," Holmes said.
So far, no one is in custody and no arrests have been made. Police are asking anyone with any information to contact Area 3 police detectives.
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