Only survivor of South Shore hit-and-run that killed 3 outside Jeffery Pub speaks out
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Badly bruised, cut and sprained, Carlee J. McKinney is hobbling along in a fog of grief. He woke up Sunday morning in Stroger Hospital only to find out he was the only survivor of a hit-and-run outside South Shore gay bar Jeffery Pub.
"Three passed and I'm the only one that walked away able to live another day," he said.
He doesn't remember the impact.
READ MORE: Disturbing video shows deadly South Shore hit-and-run, 2 victims ID'd
Early Sunday morning, McKinney and his two best friends were leaving Jeffery Pub.
"All I remember is I was trying to get my close family friend, I call him my cousin, I was trying to get him from fighting another male," McKinney said.
Dashcam video from a nearby car shows the men were in the street fighting before a driver speeding southbound on Jeffery near 71st Street slams into them
"By the time we got halfway in the street, this car came from the street and I seen it through the periphery, seen the bright light," McKinney said. "That's what made me jump back. Next thing I know I was hit and woke up in the ambulance."
The impact killed McKinney's two best friends, Devonta Vivetter and Donald Huey, as well as a third man they didn't know, Jaylen Ausley.
Chicago police said they believe the hit-and-run was intentional. The Jeffery Pub is one of the longest serving Black gay bars in America, and the National Black Justice Coalition is calling for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime. CPD said right now they don't have the evidence to support that.
"What other reason would you hit another human being other than hate?" McKinney wondered.
