CHICAGO – Seven teenagers were shot and injured near St. Sabina Church on Chicago’s South Side overnight.
The shooting happened as police were trying to disperse a large gathering of people in the 1200 block of West 78th Street in Auburn Gresham, according to the Chicago Police Department.
‘It hurts my spirit’
What we know:
A little before 2 a.m., an unknown car drove by and began firing shots at the crowd striking several victims.
The car fled the scene.
Seven people were shot:
- A 17-year-old boy shot in the leg. He was listed in fair condition and taken to Christ Hospital.
- An 18-year-old man shot in the leg and listed in fair condition. He was taken to Christ Hospital.
- A 19-year-old man shot in the leg and arm. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
- A 17-year-old boy was shot in the arm. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
- An 18-year-old man was shot in the leg and chest. He was taken to Little Company of Mary Medical Center in serious condition.
- A 17-year-old boy was shot in the back and leg. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in fair condition.
- An 18-year-old man was shot in the leg and buttocks. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition.
No one was in custody in connection with the shooting.
Area detectives are investigating.
What they’re saying:
The shooting happened not far from Saint Sabina Church, which is headed by Rev. Michael Pfleger, well known in Chicago for advocating for the poor and young people.
Pfleger told Fox 32 in an interview on Saturday morning that the gathering was an after-prom party at a house that attracted people via posts on social media.
“I’m just so angry and so disgusted,” Pfleger said.
He called on parents to know where their kids are late at nights and on kids to “get the hell away” from situations where there are large gatherings.
“It’s just insane,” he said. “It’s just absolutely insane.”
Pfleger added he wanted to put up a reward for the person responsible for the shooting because it was “personal” for him. He said, “I want to know who did it.”
Pfleger said he was awoken by something in the middle of the night and shortly after the shooting received calls. He said he was out in the street from around 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Saturday.
Tiffani Cooper, who lives near the church, witnessed the shooting.
“It hurts my spirit,” Cooper said. “I actually live across the street, right here, across from the parish. I’ve been under Father Pfleger for eight years … and I love that man. So it hurt my spirit.”