A 23-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman were shot early Thursday while sitting in a car near a BP gas station on the 2100 block of South Western Avenue in Little Village, according to Chicago police. The gunfire erupted at about 3:18 a.m. when a dark-colored SUV pulled up to the victims' car and someone inside opened fire before speeding away.
The man was struck in the left arm and stomach, while the woman was shot in the torso, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. Both were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, and police say both are expected to recover. Mount Sinai Hospital is a safety-net hospital with a Level-1 trauma center, according to Hoodline.
Police have released no other information about the shooting, including a description of the SUV's occupants or a motive.
A Stretch of Western Avenue With a Violent History
Thursday's shooting is not the first time gunfire from a passing vehicle has struck someone parked on this same block. In September 2017, a 24-year-old man sitting in a parked car on the 2100 block of South Western Avenue was shot in the back and hip by an assailant firing from a passing silver vehicle, according to a report from DNAinfo.
South Western Avenue along this stretch forms a commercial and transit border separating Little Village from Pilsen.
Part of a Broader Pattern Along the Corridor
Thursday's incident adds to a string of recent vehicle-based shootings along the South Western corridor and the wider Southwest Side. In August, a separate drive-by ambush on the 3800 block of South Western Boulevard left a 26-year-old man dead and a 56-year-old man critically injured when assailants opened fire on their work van. And in January, a shooting near 33rd Street and Western Boulevard critically injured a woman and wounded a man.
Little Village itself has seen repeated gun violence in recent weeks. Earlier this month, another shooting was reported in the neighborhood.
Community Groups Push Prevention Efforts
Amid the pattern of shootings, community organizations have pursued efforts aimed at preventing firearm disputes before they escalate.
If identified and arrested, suspects in car-to-car shootings like Thursday's could face charges. The shooting injured two people.
It remains unknown whether surveillance footage from the BP station captured the SUV's license plate, whether the victims were targeted or chosen at random, or whether investigators have identified any connection to previous drive-by shootings along the Western Avenue corridor. Police have not released further details as the investigation continues.
