Late Saturday night in South Austin, a 34-year-old man was found shot in the head on the 5100 block of West Chicago Avenue and later died at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said. Officers in the area reported hearing loud noises they believed were gunshots around 11:40 p.m. and followed the sound to find the man unresponsive. Bullet holes were visible in the window of a nearby business.
According to CBS Chicago, officers discovered the victim on the sidewalk, and Harrison Area detectives are now handling the case. Investigators were working the scene for physical evidence and surveillance footage, and as of Sunday morning no one was in custody.
Where the Shooting Happened
The shooting unfolded near LeClaire Avenue, along a stretch of storefronts and small businesses on the neighborhood's northwest side. The area has seen multiple shootings in recent months, including a December incident that left a 20-year-old critically injured in a sidewalk showdown in South Austin. Residents and community leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about public safety in the Harrison Area, where detectives are frequently called to respond to violent crimes.
Investigation and Next Steps
Harrison Area detectives, the Chicago Police Department unit that covers parts of the West Side, have jurisdiction over the case and are expected to canvass for witnesses and pull video from nearby cameras. In March, another man was found shot to death in South Austin, highlighting a recent pattern of fatal gun violence on the West Side, according to CBS Chicago. Anyone with information about the latest shooting is urged to contact the Chicago Police Department through its tip portal or reach out to the local district, per the Chicago Police Department.
