A mass shooting in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side late Saturday night killed a man and wounded two more people, according to Chicago police.
Police said an unknown person had started to fire in a massive gathering in a parking lot at the intersection of West 87th Street and South Lafayette Avenue at about 11:50 p.m. Saturday, hitting multiple people. An emergency dispatcher announced the shooting over the police radio in the same breath as a 10-1 call, shorthand for officers in distress.
“We have a crowd of over 100 people and multiple people shot,” she said.
A second dispatcher advised police to be cautious as they reached the scene.
One officer said he was monitoring the area and asked if there was an active shooter still at the scene.
“No, just people shot,” the dispatcher replied. “A couple people — several people — shot. I have no other information at this time.”
A 25-year-old woman was shot in the head and was taken in critical condition at the University of Chicago Hospital, police said, while a 24-year-old man was shot in the left shoulder and taken in good condition to Little Company of Mary Hospital.
The third victim, a 24-year-old man, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at University of Chicago Hospital, police said. No one was in custody as of early Sunday morning and Area Two detectives were investigating.
By 12:10 a.m., the dispatchers had told officers they could stop speeding to the scene, but squad cars kept rolling into the massive shopping center parking lot overlooking the Dan Ryan Expressway. An ambulance sped down the expressway’s eastern on-ramp and tore northward.
Dozens of beat cops, tactical officers and sergeants stood talking inside yellow tape. Others shone flashlights as they picked their way between hundreds of abandoned cups, napkins and other trash, searching for evidence. A police dog tried to sniff a crushed piece of debris before a handler yanked the animal away.
Outside the tape, a woman in a pink jumpsuit walked in circles, rubbing her face.
“I can’t believe this,” she said. “I must be dreaming.”
Cars drove out of the parking lot, shattered glass crunching under their wheels. In the lot north of 87th Street, people were still hanging out, dancing and listening to music as squad cars rolled around blasting a recorded message: “No loitering. Please disperse.” The music kept thumping.