An evening in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood turned violent Monday when three men were shot in an abandoned lot on the Far South Side, leaving two hospitalized in good condition and a third fighting for his life. The gunfire broke out around 5:42 p.m. in the 9900 block of South Ewing Avenue, according to police.
All three men were hit in the abdomen and rushed to nearby hospitals. Area 2 detectives are investigating.
What police say
According to CBS Chicago, the victims are 41, 48 and 52 years old. Police said the 41-year-old man was taken to Christ Hospital and listed in good condition. The 48-year-old man was transported to another hospital, also in good condition, while the 52-year-old man was taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Investigators said an unknown man approached the group in the lot, pulled out a gun and opened fire before running off. No one is in custody, and detectives have not released additional information on a possible motive.
The block's recent history
The 9900 block of South Ewing Avenue has seen serious violence before. In September 2023, officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect on the same stretch of street, and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability later released body-camera video of that incident, ABC7 Chicago reported.
Citywide context
The latest shooting comes as Chicago confronts an uptick in gun violence after what officials described as historic lows last year. Shooting incidents and shooting victims have risen in the first months of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, based on Chicago Police Department data, FOX 32 Chicago reported.
Police have also reported recovering thousands of illegal firearms this year, a figure authorities often cite as they try to tamp down shootings and homicides citywide.
Investigation ongoing
Detectives in Area 2 are leading the investigation into Monday’s attack and are still working to identify the gunman and determine a motive, according to CBS Chicago. No arrests have been announced and officials have released few additional details so far.
