An 18-year-old man is in critical condition after being shot in the head Wednesday night in Chicago’s Avalon Park neighborhood, authorities said.
Police said the shooting happened around 7:29 p.m. in the 1100 block of East 81st Street. The teen was rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, and remained there as of late Wednesday.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that no one was in custody after the shooting while detectives launched an on-scene investigation.
Avalon Park’s Recent Violence
The shooting adds to a troubling pattern of gun violence on the Far South Side. In January, a late-night killing on another block in the neighborhood drew attention after a report headlined block shaken by deadly late-night shooting highlighted residents’ concerns.
Longer-term data point to the same struggle. An analysis by the University of Chicago Crime Lab found Avalon Park recorded four homicides in 2016, a rate of about 39.6 per 100,000 residents, underscoring the neighborhood’s ongoing battles with gun violence.
Police and Investigation
Chicago police said detectives from Area South are handling the case and continuing to process the scene, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Investigators have not announced any suspect description or possible motive. Police said the investigation is active as detectives canvass the area for witnesses and surveillance video.
