Time after time, we hear stories from Chicago and beyond of teenagers being shot, sometimes fatally, even though they were “only” armed with a pellet gun—firearms that very often appear to be full-power handguns, even from up-close.
So take a look at this video, recorded by a surveillance camera in Lakeview on Sunday afternoon, as teenagers enter a residential gangway with a silver handgun drawn and open fire on two seven-year-old boys who are playing in the backyard.
As it turns out, the gun was an air pistol, but anyone observing the group’s behavior and seeing the gun could easily reach a different conclusion. Bottom line: This video, shared with CWBChicago by a resident who asked to remain anonymous, could have ended much differently.
In the footage, three males who appear to be in their teens pass the camera just before 4 p.m., frequently turning around to look for a fourth male who soon catches up with them.
The group appears to exchange items in their hands, then one male enters the gate with a silver gun in his hand. He walks to the backyard with a companion close behind.
After a few seconds, the sound of the air pistol repeatedly firing is heard and the entire group runs from the area.
“The boys [were] playing in the back by Fletcher and Lakewood” when the teens seen in this video began firing, “leaving bullet holes at kid head level” in the family’s garage, the resident said.
“The kids are fine. Just shaken up and it was a scare for sure.”
The outcome for the kids who were targeted could have been much different, too.
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