Gunfire erupted on a peaceful South Shore sidewalk Monday night, leaving two men wounded in what police are calling a drive-by shooting. The scene unfolded at approximately 10:20 p.m. on the 7000 block of South Merrill Avenue, where the pair of 35-year-old men were targeted by an unidentified assailant, FOX 32 Chicago reports.

According to the authorities, the victims were blindsided when someone in a light sedan pulled up and opened fire. In a cruel twist of fate, one of the men was shot in the lower left back and is now fighting for his life in critical condition. The other victim took a bullet to the foot but is expected to recover, listed in good condition, as per Chicago Sun-Times.

Both men were quickly transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center after the incident. Hospital officials confirm the dire state of the more seriously injured man, while the second victim's wounds are less severe.

As detectives comb through the scant evidence, no arrests have been made and the shooter remains at large. Any witnesses or individuals with information are urged to come forward and assist in the investigation.