A 9-year-old boy and a man were shot Friday afternoon in Roseland on the Far South Side — the fourth young child to be hit by gun violence this week in Chicago.
The pair were wounded in a drive-by shooting around 12:10 p.m. in the 400 block of East 111th Street, according to preliminary information from Chicago police.
The boy, shot in his arm, was in good condition, police said. Fire officials initially said he was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in serious condition.
A 22-year-old man was shot in the ankle and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in fair condition, officials said.
Ashley Van, 30, the boy’s mother said she was walking out of a corner store with her three children when she was “caught in a massive crossfire.”
“I’m alright, I’m just grateful to God because that’s who saved my child,” she said at the hospital, holding back tears. “I’m just thankful my baby made it.”
Another family member said the boy was “doing okay. He’s scared. He’s a playful boy, likes to go swimming and record YouTube videos. He’s just a regular kid.”
This is the fourth young child to be shot in Chicago this week.
On Wednesday night, a 7-year-old boy was shot while sitting in a parked car with his mother in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, according to Chicago police. He was hit in the abdomen but was stabilized at a hospital.
On Sunday afternoon, a 7-year-old girl was killed and her 6-year-old sister seriously wounded shortly before 3 p.m. in the 6200 block of West Grand Avenue.
“Unfortunately we’re out here again,” said Ald. Anthony Beale, whose 9th Ward covers the block where Friday’s shooting took place. “Another kid being shot with senseless gun violence here in the city of Chicago.”
The alderman blamed Supt. David Brown for diverting officers to the downtown and leaving his community more vulnerable. Beale said the 5th police district, which includes his ward, is down 120 officers.
“There’s no way we can continue to fight crime with those numbers,” he told reporters at the scene. Beale said other areas of the city are experiencing the same problems “except downtown.”
“Treat me like I’m downtown here in the community,” he said. “Treat the rest of the city like we’re downtown.”
Sun-Times photographer Patricia Nabong contributed
Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), right, speaks with Chicago Police Department officials after a 9-year-old boy and a man were both shot Friday afternoon in the 400 block of East 111th Street in Roseland.Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
