Sandy MaloneChicago, IL – Fourteen people, including three children, were shot in a drive-by shooting on Halloween Night during a memorial vigil for a neighbor who had recently died of natural causes.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said the shooting began just before 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 at the intersection of California Avenue and Polk Street near Garfield Park, the Associated Press reported.
Superintendent Brown said the whole drive-by was captured on police surveillance video and was over in a matter of seconds, NBC News reported.
Police said a dark-colored SUV drove through the area and opened fire on the group of people gathered at the corner and then fled down California Avenue, WGN reported.
Fourteen people were shot, including a three year old, an 11 year old, and a 13 year old, NBC News reported.
“We know it’s a drive-by. We know it happens in just a few seconds,” the police superintendent told reporters at a news briefing late on Monday night. “It begins and then it’s over, about three seconds the car is pulling out after driving by and shooting randomly, really, into the crowd.”
Superintendent Brown said community members were holding a vigil and a balloon release when the drive-by happened, but investigators have not yet determined what other groups may have been in the area that is a popular gathering spot, NBC News reported.
He said authorities did not yet have a motive for the shootings but did not believe that all of the people who were shot had been intentionally targeted.
The superintendent said investigators believed there were two gunmen in the SUV but stressed that the information was still preliminary, NBC News reported.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shootings and police are still trying to identify possible suspects.
Major Mass shooting near California and Polk with 14 so far confirmed shot including kids ages 3, 11 and 13. This is Chicago’s nation leading 47th mass shootings (4th more shot at one time). Lightfoot & Brown have no answer, no strategy. Time for Brown to resign.
— Paul Vallas (@PaulVallas) November 1, 2022
At least 14 reported shootings occurred last night on Halloween as Children were Trick-or-Treating in their neighborhoods.
Three were children – one of which was a 3 year old.
Yet another deadly day under Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot – who has yet to comment on the situation. pic.twitter.com/txjerZwkNd
— Ole Murica (@OleMurica_) November 1, 2022
Community members were horrified that the drive-by occurred in the middle of Halloween celebrations, WGN reported.
“They’re putting on an outfit just to enjoy the evening, and then you got a clown that goes and discharges that weapon, bringing great bodily harm to these families,” community activist Andrew Holmes said.
In the Democrat monopoly city of Chicago, 5 kids among 35 shot, 5 killed in Halloween weekend violence, CPD says. So far, 578 victims have been killed in Chicago in 2022 (link in the comments).#ChicagoShootings #Holloween2022 #Violence #Chicago pic.twitter.com/pyh0qU8rDL
— Avatans Kumar 🕉 (@avatans) November 1, 2022
Officials have not released any information on the individual conditions of the wounded, but Superintendent Brown said they ranged from non-life-threatening to critical, NBC News reported.
No fatalities have been reported so far, according to the superintendent.
The Chicago Fire Department confirmed that it sent at least 10 ambulances to the scene to transport 14 people suffering from gunshot wounds and one woman who was struck by a car as she fled the gunfire, the Associated Press reported.
At least thirteen people have been killed and 62 people injured so far in Halloween weekend shootings across the US.A 12-year-old boy was among the dozens of people injured as gunfire wrecked crime afflicted cities like Pittsburgh, Houston, and Chicago. #US pic.twitter.com/zdr3daGkhw
— Bodhi Webb (@BoWebbdhi) November 1, 2022
There were also a number of mass shootings in other cities including Houston on Halloween night.
Holly Matkin
