A Sunday afternoon in Auburn Gresham turned chaotic when three men were shot in a sidewalk ambush just off West 78th Place, Chicago police said. The gunfire rang out around 4:11 p.m. near the 1200 block of West 78th Place, where a man standing on the sidewalk pulled out a gun, opened fire on a group and then took off on foot, according to investigators with the Chicago Police Department's Area Two unit. All three victims were taken to hospitals and later listed in stable condition.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the victims were a 30-year-old man shot in the shoulder, a 33-year-old man shot in the foot and a 38-year-old man shot in the hip. The outlet reported the 30-year-old was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital, the 33-year-old to Holy Cross Hospital and the 38-year-old to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. Police told the paper each man was struck once and that no arrests had been made as of Sunday night.
NBC Chicago reported the shooter was standing near South Racine Avenue when he fired at the group before fleeing. Area Two detectives were canvassing the block for surveillance video and witnesses, officials said. Police had not released a description of the gunman and the search for the suspect continued Sunday night.
Where it happened
Local coverage placed the shooting just outside St. Sabina Church on West 78th Place, a long-time neighborhood anchor that has already seen its share of trouble this year. ABC7 Chicago highlighted the proximity to the church, a familiar landmark for residents along the block.
Community-focused reporting has also noted that the area has wrestled with repeated gun violence. Coverage that has tracked several recent shootings in Auburn Gresham underscores how this stretch of the South Side has become a focal point for both community organizers and police trying to blunt the toll of shootings.
Police ask for tips
Investigators are urging anyone who saw the shooting, has surveillance footage or knows the gunman to come forward. Authorities asked the public to contact Area Two detectives at 312-747-8273 or submit an anonymous tip through CPDTIP.com.
FOX 32 Chicago reported that the Chicago Police Department released the initial details of the incident and that the investigation remains active. Detectives stressed that witnesses and any available video could be key as they work to piece together what led to the sidewalk shooting outside St. Sabina.
