Two teen boys were shot June 27, 2021 in Lawndale. | Adobe Stock Photo
The teens, both 17, were in an alley about 5:25 p.m. in the 3200 block of West 15th Street whentwo people got out of a vehicle and fired shots.
Two teenage boys were critically wounded in a shooting Sunday in Lawndale on the West Side.
The teens, both 17, were in an alley about 5:25 p.m. in the 3200 block of West 15th Street whentwo people got out of a vehicle and fired shots, Chicago police said.
One teen was struck in the stomach and leg and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said. The other was shot in the neck and shoulder and was transported to the same hospital in good condition.
Avoid shopping or making important decisions until 1 p.m. Chicago time. After that, the moon moves from Aquarius into Pisces.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
This is a feel-good day, which is why you feel compassion and concern for those who are less fortunate. If you can do something to help someone in need, you will feel gratified. You might join forces with someone else to do this.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
A discussion with a female friend will be a rewarding experience for you. You might also become involved with a charitable group or others who wish to help people in need. Today, whatever you give will come back to you multiplied.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
You look good in the eyes of others, especially bosses, parents and VIPs. Even if you don’t do anything special, you appear to be successful, wise and generous. Well, it never hurts to have good press. (There’s also a strong likelihood you deserve this praise.)
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Today you’re full of big plans, especially for future travel or anything to do with future education or training. You might also have ambitions related to medicine, the law, publishing or the media. Enjoy a heady exchange about metaphysical ideas.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
This is an excellent day to discuss how to share something because you will come out laughing all the way to the bank. Gifts, goodies and favors from others might come your way. This is also a good day to explore financial negotiations and discuss shared property.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
You feel warm and generous to others, especially those who are close to you — partners, spouses and close friends. This is a good day to make a suggestion about some big plans that you’re hoping for in the future. Perhaps a trip? Or a way to expand something?
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Work-related travel might be happening today. This is an excellent day to join forces with others to form working units or to work with groups. Because you feel confident, and you’re in a positive frame of mind, you will be productive.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Enjoy good times today! This is great day for social outings, sportsevents, fun activities with kids or any chance for you to express your creative talents in the arts. Basically, you want to have fun. Remember you will get what you give — kindness, friendship and loving support to others.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Family discussions will go well today, especially with a female relative. This is a good day to be generous to others because whatever you give will come back to you multiplied. You’ll find it easy to be patient with others. In fact, you might have some excellent advice for someone.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Because you’re in a positive frame of mind, you’re thinking big today! You have big plans! Others will be encouraged by your ambitious ideas, especially relatives, neighbors and siblings. (It’s amazing how one person can influence a group.)
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
This is an excellent money day for you. Look for ways to boost your income or possibly, look for a better paying job. You are more inclined to “think big” today regarding financial matters, including spending money. Nevertheless, keep your receipts. (And the box.) Better safe than sorry.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today the moon is in your sign lined up with lucky Jupiter, which makes you feel happy and generous to others. Your confidence is strong and you feel kindly toward others. This is a good thing because you will get what you give. What goes around, comes around.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Entrepreneur Elon Musk (1971) shares your birthday. You have a wide variety of interests and you are very spontaneous. You are an excellent planner and you are also persuasive. You are certainly dominant and determined. This year you have every right to seek your personal happiness. Ask yourself what you want and where you want to go. Enjoy socializing with others and exploring hobbies. Claim your world.
Two adults and a child were killed after a Metra train struck their vehicle Sunday afternoon on the Far South Side, officials said.
Just after 5 p.m., an inbound train struck a vehicle at the railroad crossing of 107th Street and Vincennes Avenue, Chicagofire officials said. The Rock Island train pushed the car about a half mile before coming to a complete stop near 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue.
Two adults, a man and a woman, and one child riding in the vehicle were all pronounced dead, according to fire officials. They were believed to be a family, fire officials said.
A 43-year-old man who was the train’s conductor was transported to Little Company of Mary Hospital in good to fair condition, according to fire officials.
The engineer suffered an injury to his leg. Both injuries to Metra employees were non-life-threatening, Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said at the scene.
Forty-one passengers were on board the train at the time, although no one was riding in the front car. Three passengers reported minor injuries and two were taken to area hospitals, Gillis said.
They were transported to the 95th Red Line ‘L’ station so they could continue their way into the city, said Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile.
The train was heading inbound from Joliet to 35th Street and, after the Blue Island stop, was “basically expressing” through the area at about 79 mph, Gillis said.
The force of the impact caused the train’s front car to partially derail, according to Reile. At some point, the vehicle caught fire, she said.
Gillis said Metra is not yet able to confirm what caused the collision, but “there is no indication the gates were malfunctioning.”
Only the frame of the dark-colored vehicle remained near the front of the train, after the vehicle had been dragged from 107th to 103rd. Rocks from the tracks littered the intersection at 103rd.
“It’s heart-rending,” Gillis said. “It’s the worst thing I’ve seen. I’ve been doing this job for 12 years, this is the worst scene I’ve seen.”
Metra police and engineers investigate the site at 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue after a train collided with a vehicle killing 3 occupants Sunday, June 27, 2021.Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Matt Townsend, who was riding back to the city with his girlfriend after spending the day with his family in Joliet, was still trying to process the “traumatic” event Sunday night.
Townsend, of Pilsen, recalled feeling a big “thud” before seeing dirt fly up in the air.
“It was hard to see out of the windows because there was so much dirt on both sides of the train,” Townsend told the Sun-Times in a phone interview Sunday night. “And I knew there was something wrong at that time.”
Townsend, who was in the third or fourth rail car, said people were in shock as they were escorted off the train.
“Everybody was anxious, tensions were running high, and we were wanting to get off faster than the line was allowing us to,” Townsend said. “… The car was unrecognizable as a car, it was just a clumped up piece of metal… and I started seeing flames come from the car, and that was scary. But most importantly, I knew that people had died.”
Townsend, 47, said most train passengers were stuck in the area for about an hour since buses were stalled and couldn’t cross the tracks. He and his girlfriend ultimately walked to 95th Street before hopping on a bus to the Red Line.
“That was a horrible adventure,” said Townsend, noting it took five hours for them to get home.
Sandy Wilson was standing across the street at 103rd and said right after the train came to a stop, two men ran to the vehicle to try to help the victims. She then saw crews work to remove the child and a woman from the vehicle.
Standing nearby, Wanda Durrell said she was heartbroken when she heard one of the victims was a child. “I have a 5-year-old granddaughter” Durrell said. “I just cant imagine”
Metra is in the early stages of its investigation into the crash.
All inbound and outbound Metra Rock Island service has been stopped near 103rd.
The train was heading north into the city. It left Joliet at 4:25 p.m. and was due downtown at 5:25 p.m., Reile said. Its last stop before the crash was at the Blue Island Vermont Street station. The train was expressing to the 35th Street station.
Just after 5 p.m., an inbound train struck a vehicle at the railroad crossing of 107th Street and Vincennes Avenue, Chicago fire officials said. The Rock Island train pushed the car about a half mile before coming to a complete stop near 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Two separate mass shootings in Chicago on Sunday night left at least one dead and 13 injured, authorities said.
Around 8:45 p.m., a gunman riding in a black SUV sprayed bullets at a group of people in South Shore, killing one woman and wounding another five people, according to Chicago police. Just two hours later, at least eight people were shot in Marquette Park, fire officials said.
Emergency crews were called to the scene of an accident at 63rd and Western Avenue about 10:30 p.m. when a shooting occurred just a block away on Artesian, fire officials said.
Two people were transported from the accident and eight people were taken to area hospitals from the shooting, fire officials said. All victims were adults and most were in serious to critical condition, a fire official said.
Neighbors said large groups frequently gather near the corner of 63rd and Artesian across from a liquor store.
One resident, who asked not to be named, said he called 9-1-1 about 30 minutes before the shooting because he was concerned about the group but said officers did not respond. He said he even went so far as to walk into the 7th District police station nearby to tell earlier about the gathering earlier in the night but was told to call 9-1-1.
Jesus Abarca, another resident on the block, looked on at the scene with his three young children nearby.
“We’re moving out next week,” Abarca said. “I don’t feel safe here.”
At the scene, evidence markers were scattered around a red sedan parked near the alley just south of 63rd.
Abarca hopes his next neighborhood feels safer but noted “everywhere is crazy right now.”
In the first incident, at least five male victims and one woman were standing outside in the 2000 block of East 71st Street around 8:45 p.m. when a gunman opened fire from inside a black SUV as it drove by, according to police.
A woman, who was shot six times, was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, police said.
A 15-year-old boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the foot and knee and his condition was stabilized, police said.
Other injuries include:
A 19-year-old man who was shot in the leg
A 20-year-old man who was struck in the buttocks
A 21-year-old man who was hit in his left arm
Another 21-year-old man who was shot once in the arm and twice in the leg
The men had been taken to area hospitals, where their conditions were stabilized.
The SUV was last seen driving westbound on 71st street, police said.
At the scene in South Shore, some bloodied clothing items lay on the sidewalk next to a tipped-over bicycle.
A front window of a nail salon on the corner of 71st and Clyde streets was shattered, and there was at least one bullet hole in a dark-colored mini-van parked out front.
Police walked in and out of a restaurant still open next store. Onlookers said the area is very busy during the daytime but quiets down at night.
No one is in custody as Area One detectives investigate.
These were at least the fifth and sixth mass shootings in Chicago this month. In the early hours of June 15, eight people were methodically hunted down and shot, most of them in the head, one of them in the back, police have said. Five people were killed in the attack and another three were wounded.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Cardi B attends “The Road to F9” Global Fan Extravaganza at Maurice A. Ferre Park on January 31, 2020 in Miami, Florida. | Getty Images
“Umm, OK Bardi with the baby bump,” actor Marsai Martin exclaimed before presenting the best group award to Silk Sonic, AKA Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak.
NEW YORK — Like Beyoncé did at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Cardi B debuted her baby bump during a performance at the BET Awards.
The rapper — performing alongside husband Offset as well as Quavo and Takeoff of Migos — worked the stage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, introducing her baby bump to the world. They performed “Type (Expletive)” from Migos’ recently released album “Culture III.”
“Umm, OK Bardi with the baby bump,” actor Marsai Martin exclaimed before presenting the best group award to Silk Sonic, AKA Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak.
Rapper Lil Baby and gospel performer Kirk Franklin joined forces to kick off the BET Awards with a performance that got Issa Rae, Queen Latifah, DJ Khaled and Zendaya bouncing in their seats.
In all white, the artists performed the anthemic song “We Win” were joined by dozens of background dancers and band members for the top notch performance.
The show is being hosted by actor Taraji P. Henson, who said the BET Awards will celebrate “the year of the Black women.” The event will include more epic performers, including Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, H.E.R., DaBaby, DJ Khaled and Jazmine Sullivan.
Swizz Beatz is curating the tribute to DMX, who died in April at age 50. Performers include Busta Rhymes, Method Man and Griselda. And Grammy-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner Queen Latifah will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby, former collaborators who recently traded words online, are the top contenders with seven nominations each.
The “Savage” rapper, who won three Grammys this year, is up for best female hip-hop artist, album of the year for “Good News” and video of the year for “WAP,” her No. 1 hit with Cardi B. Megan Thee Stallion is also a double nominee for both the viewer’s choice award and best collaboration.
DaBaby has four songs competing for best collaboration: “Rockstar” with Roddy Ricch; “For the Night” with Pop Smoke and Lil Baby; “Cry Baby” with Megan Thee Stallion; and “What’s Poppin” with Lil Wayne, Tory Lanez and Jack Harlow.
He’s also nominated for best male hip-hop artist, the viewer’s choice award and album of the year for “Blame It on Baby.”
Megan Thee Stallion and DaBaby were two of the big stars at last year’s BET Awards — the first awards show to air during the pandemic. It was a critical success and featured highly produced and well-crafted pre-taped performances, with some centered around the Black experience highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement, civil rights and the lives of those lost because of police officers, including George Floyd.
This year’s show will allow those who are vaccinated to register to be part of the live audience. The network said it is working closely with Los Angeles County to adhere to COVID-19 protocols.
While press at the awards show will be limited, BET does plan to have a red carpet ahead of the live event, which will feature a number of big name presenters including Naomi Campbell, Regina Hall, Lena Waithe, Mj Rodriguez, Saweetie, Jill Scott, Marsai Martin, Chlöe Bailey and Ashanti. Jennifer Hudson will also make a special appearance at the show.
Drake and Cardi B are the second-most nominated acts at the BET Awards, scoring five bids each, while four nominations went to Chris Brown, Chloe x Halle, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. All of those acts are nominated for video of the year.
Other nominees include The Weeknd, up for album of the year and best male pop/R&B artist, and late rapper Pop Smoke, who won five Billboard Music Awards last month and picked up two nominations at the BET Awards, including best male hip-hop artist.
Andra Day won best actress and will also perform, as will Roddy Ricch, City Girls, Lil Durk, Moneybagg Yo, Rapsody and Tyler, the Creator.
Alzolay allowed two second-inning home runs, including a Zach McKinstry grand slam in the Cubs’ 7-1 loss to the Dodgers.
LOS ANGELES — Cubs rookie right-hander Adbert Alzolay’s development as a starting pitcher has gone relatively smoothly, considering it’s his first season in the rotation.
But Alzolay struggled to find his command early in a 7-1 loss Sunday to the Dodgers and had a second inning to forget.
One of the things that has made Alzolay successful this season has been his ability to throw strikes and not let walks and a lack of command beat him. But against a team known for working counts, Alzolay was clearly off.
‘‘I just couldn’t find my rhythm in the game,’’ Alzolay said. ‘‘I felt like my body was super-slow to home plate. I was throwing everything back behind my head. I just couldn’t find my rhythm.’’
Alzolay fell behind in the count to the first two batters he faced but was able to get a double play to end the first. He wasn’t able to get away with his loss of control in the second, however.
Alzolay hit the first batter of the inning and proceeded to walk the next two, which brought a visit to the mound from pitching coach Tommy Hottovy.
After Hottovy’s visit, however, Alzolay left a slider over the inner third of the plate, and Dodgers second baseman Zach McKinstry didn’t miss it. His grand slam gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.
‘‘If you throw [the slider] for chase, it’s not gonna work when you don’t have fastball command,’’ Alzolay said. ‘‘Everything today, all my pitches were all over the place. When you wanna throw the pitch for chase, they’re not gonna swing because they know that you can’t command it.’’
In an inning where so little went right for Alzolay, he could have used some help on defense. But that didn’t happen, either. After an error by shortstop Javy Baez, Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger launched his second home run in as many days to boost the lead to 6-0.
‘‘His rhythm in general, just [not] syncing up his mechanics, leading to sporadic command,’’ manager David Ross said. ‘‘Slider didn’t really look like it had a lot of shape to it, either. He was battling himself out there. Trying to let him figure it out a little bit.’’
The six runs were the most Alzolay has given up in a start this season, and his three innings pitched were tied for his shortest start.
After their combined no-hitter Thursday, the Cubs weren’t able to do much against the Dodgers, especially offensively, and combined for 45 strikeouts in the last three games of the series.
Now they’ll face another tough test in Milwaukee, with right-handers Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes scheduled to start for the Brewers. The Cubs enter that series three games behind the Brewers in the National League Central.
‘‘We do a really good job of resetting,’’ Ross said. ‘‘We come in, and these guys do a nice job of competing nightly. I think division [games] always bring a little extra and the guys that are leading the division that you’re chasing always bring a little extra.
‘‘[The Brewers] caught us early in the season. Whether that’s a product of how well they were pitching or a product of us not being where we needed to be yet, I think those are the things we’ll find out this week.
‘‘But they’ve got a good staff; we know that. They’ve got a good team. That’s why they’re in first place. We just have to go out there and compete and be ourselves and play our brand of baseball.’’
Two adults and a child were killed after a Metra train struck their vehicle Sunday afternoon 103rd and Vincennes, authorities said./ Tyler LaRiviere
Forty-one passengers were on board the train at the time; three passengers reported minor injuries and two were taken to area hospitals, a Metro spokesman said.
Two adults and a child were killed after a Metra train struck their vehicle Sunday afternoon on the Far South Side, officials said.
Just after 5 p.m., an inbound train struck a vehicle at the railroad crossing of 107th Street and Vincennes Avenue, Chicagofire officials said. The Rock Island train pushed the car about a half mile before coming to a complete stop near 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue.
Two adults, a man and a woman, and one child riding in the vehicle were all pronounced dead, according to fire officials.
A 43-year-old man was transported to Little Company of Mary Hospital in good to fair condition, according to fire officials.
The conductor suffered an injury to his back and the engineer suffered an injury to his leg. Both injuries were non-life-threatening, Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said at the scene.
Forty-one passengers were on board the train at the time, although no one was riding in the front car. Three passengers reported minor injuries and two were taken to area hospitals, Gillis said.
They were transported to the 95th Red Line ‘L’ station so they could continue their way into the city, said Metra spokeswoman Meg Reile.
The train was heading inbound from Joliet to 35th Street and, after the Blue Island stop, was “basically expressing” through the area at about 79 mph, Gillis said.
The force of the impact caused the train’s front car to partially derail, according to Reile. At some point, the vehicle caught fire, she said.
Gillis said Metra is not yet able to confirm what caused the collision, but “there is no indication the gates were malfunctioning.”
Only the frame of the dark-colored vehicle remained near the front of the train, after the vehicle had been dragged from 107th to 103rd. Rocks from the tracks littered the intersection at 103rd.
“It’s heart-rending,” Gillis said. “It’s the worst thing I’ve seen. I’ve been doing this job for 12 years, this is the worst scene I’ve seen.”
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-TimesMetra police and engineers investigate the site at 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue after a train collided with a vehicle killing 3 occupants Sunday, June 27, 2021.
Matt Townsend, who was riding back to the city with his girlfriend after spending the day with his family in Joliet, was still trying to process the “traumatic” event Sunday night.
Townsend, of Pilsen, recalled feeling a big “thud” before seeing dirt fly up in the air.
”It was hard to see out of the windows because there was so much dirt on both sides of the train,” Townsend told the Sun-Times in a phone interview Sunday night. “And I knew there was something wrong at that time.”
Townsend, who was in the third or fourth rail card, said people were in shock as they were escorted off the train.
”Everybody was anxious, tensions were running high, and we were wanting to get off faster than the line was allowing us to,” Townsend said. “… The car was unrecognizable as a car, it was just a clumped up piece of metal… and I started seeing flames come from the car, and that was scary. But most importantly, I knew that people had died.”
Townsend, 47, said most train passengers were stuck in the area for about an hour since buses were stalled and couldn’t cross the tracks. He and his girlfriend ultimately walked to 95th Street before hopping on a bus to the Red Line.
”That was a horrible adventure,” said Townsend, noting it took five hours for them to get home.
Sandy Wilson was standing across the street at 103rd and said right after the train came to a stop, two men ran to the vehicle to try to help the victims. She then saw crews work to remove the child and a woman from the vehicle.
Standing nearby, Wanda Durrell said she was heartbroken when she heard one of the victims was a child. “I have a 5-year-old granddaughter” Durrell said. “I just cant imagine”
Metra is in the early stages of its investigation into the crash.
All inbound and outbound Metra Rock Island service has been stopped near 103rd.
The train was heading north into the city. It left Joliet at 4:25 p.m. and was due downtown at 5:25 p.m., Reile said. Its last stop before the crash was at the Blue Island Vermont Street station. The train was expressing to the 35th Street station.
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-TimesJust after 5 p.m., an inbound train struck a vehicle at the railroad crossing of 107th Street and Vincennes Avenue, Chicago fire officials said. The Rock Island train pushed the car about a half mile before coming to a complete stop near 103rd Street and Vincennes Avenue.
Jazmine Sullivan performs onstage at the BET Awards 2021 at Microsoft Theater on Sunday night in Los Angeles. Sullivan won album of the year for her critically acclaimed EP “Heaux Tales.” | Getty
The awards show celebrated “the year of the Black women,” as actor and host Taraji P. Henson put at the top of the show.
NEW YORK — Cardi B’s “WAP” has new meaning at the BET Awards: winning and pregnant.
The Grammy-winning star debuted her baby bump during a live performance Sunday alongside husband Offset as well as Quavo and Takeoff of Migos. She also won video of the year for her Megan Thee Stallion-assisted No. 1 hit “WAP.”
Cardi B didn’t stay to accept the honor at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, but Megan Thee Stallion rushed to the stage in a new dress to pick up the award after her performance, forgetting to thank Cardi during her speech.
But the “Savage” rapper made up for it when she won best female hip-hop artist moments later.
“I really forgot to say thank you Cardi for even putting me on ‘WAP’ because it makes me feel so good to be acknowledged by one of my peers, who I think so highly of,” Megan Thee Stallion said. “I think so highly of all the women who was nominated in this category. Everybody knows I’m a girls’ girl.”
APMegan Thee Stallion accepts the best female hip hop artist award at the BET Awards on Sunday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
During her speech, the Grammy winner also paid tribute to her mother, who died in 2019.
“Thank you momma for putting it in me to even want to be a female rapper and putting the work ethic inside of me and the drive and push,” she said. “She can’t be here with me today but I still think about her everyday and she is the reason why I keep going.”
The awards show celebrated “the year of the Black women,” as actor and host Taraji P. Henson put at the top of the show.
Rep. Maxine Waters said her signature phrase — “reclaiming my time” — before Jazmine Sullivan hit the stage for a sultry, top-notch performance featuring fellow R&B singer Ari Lennox. Sullivan won album of the year for her critically acclaimed EP “Heaux Tales.” Like Megan Thee Stallion, she honored her mother, who is battling cancer and stood next to her during the show.
“Two years ago we would have never expected to be here. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago so we didn’t see any of this happening, but God has been so faithful to us and my mom is in remission,” Sullivan said. “This is my prize. This is my gift. It means more to me than anything that she’s her with me. She supported me all my life.”
The first award of the night went to Andra Day, who won best actress, while Darnella Frazier — the teenager who pulled out her cellphone and began recording when she saw George Floyd being pinned to the ground by a police officer — was given the Shine a Light Award.
Frazier didn’t attend the awards show but the honor came weeks after she was awarded a special citation by the Pulitzer Prizes for her video that helped to launch a global movement to protest racial injustice.
H.E.R., who also wowed the audience with her performance, won best female R&B/pop artist. The Grammy winner told the crowd that it is “important for us to recognize each other and celebrate each other.”
“If we don’t, who else will?” she added.
The rest of the BET Awards will feature more Black Girl Magic: Grammy-, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winner Queen Latifah will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Lil Kim, City Girls and Rapsody will perform.
Rapper Lil Baby and gospel performer Kirk Franklin joined forces to kick off the show with a performance that got Issa Rae, Queen Latifah, DJ Khaled and Zendaya bouncing in their seats. In all white, the artists performed the anthemic song “We Win” and were joined by dozens of background dancers and band members for the top notch performance.
Swizz Beatz is curating the tribute to DMX, who died in April at age 50. Performers include Busta Rhymes, Method Man and Griselda. Lil Nas X and DJ Khaled will also hit the stage during the show.