A fistfight inside a West Loop fitness club spilled onto the sidewalk before dawn Sunday and ended with two men pulling handguns and firing at each other, leaving one of them wounded with gunshot graze wounds to both arms, his jaw and his abdomen. Chicago police officers responded to the 1300 block of West Randolph Street at 1:51 a.m., and the second gunman fled before officers arrived.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the confrontation began as a physical altercation between the 29-year-old man and another man inside a business, then continued outside the building, where both men pulled out handguns and fired at each other. Scene video reviewed by the station indicated the business involved was the West Loop Athletic Club, located at 1380 W. Randolph St. and part of the regional Chicago Athletic Clubs network, according to Time Out, which describes the facility as featuring a lap pool.
Wounded Man Taken to Stroger Hospital
Responding officers found the 29-year-old man suffering from his injuries at the scene; police say he had also fired a gun during the exchange. He was taken to Stroger Hospital and listed in good condition, per the station's report, and was placed under arrest. Police have not released a description of the second gunman, who remains at large.
Stroger Hospital, formally John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, operates Illinois' busiest Level I trauma center, treating roughly 120,000 emergency patients and nearly 4,000 trauma patients in 2025, according to Cook County Health. The hospital also treats shooting victims. In December 2025, it became the first trauma center in Chicago to earn Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons, a designation the ACS links to a 25% lower mortality risk compared with non-verified centers, following an extensive multi-day peer review of hospital resources and patient outcomes.
Gun-Free Gym, Unresolved Charges
Detectives are investigating the shooting, and charges remain pending. The 1300 block of West Randolph Street falls under the jurisdiction of the Chicago Police Department's 12th (Near West) District, headquartered at 1412 S. Blue Island Ave.
Under Illinois law, aggravated-battery classifications and firearm enhancements vary by circumstances, according to The Law Office of Purav Bhatt. Separately, under Section 65 of the Illinois Firearm Concealed Carry Act, private business owners, including commercial gyms, are legally authorized to prohibit handguns on their premises, according to the Giffords Law Center.
Part of a Broader Pattern on the Near West Side
The shootout adds to a string of overnight gun violence reported across the Near West Side corridor this year, including the fatal shooting of a 42-year-old woman on Jackson Boulevard in early September and the nonfatal shooting of a 23-year-old man on Roosevelt Road in August. The Jackson Boulevard victim was taken to Stroger Hospital. Earlier reports also described two early-morning robberies in the West Loop and River North.
Citywide, the article also considers broader crime trends.
