Well, isn’t this interesting?
A stolen Volkswagen Jetta that police have linked to a string of armed robberies in Wicker Park, Bucktown, and nearby areas wandered into North Center and Ravenswood on Friday evening, and there are some interesting developments to report.
Around 7:30 p.m., police who responded to a call of a person shot on the 3900 block of North Western found a 16-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to his leg, according to a CPD report. Officers arrived in time to see the stolen Jetta driving away from the scene. Cops stopped the car on the 4300 block of North Lincoln, but it rammed a CPD tactical car and sped away, a separate crash report said.
Police eventually found the Jetta abandoned with its engine running on the 4500 block of North Winchester. Officers reportedly saw blood on the back seat and front passenger area, leading investigators to suspect that whoever was driving the car dumped the injured 16-year-old on Western Avenue.
Meanwhile, the teen told police that he was shot by someone who fired from a black Kia sedan as he stood on the 300 block of North Western in West Town. In fact, police did receive several calls of shots fired in that area around 6:55 p.m., according to dispatch records.
The boy was listed in good condition at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
CWBChicago first reported last Sunday that police were looking for a stolen Volkswagen Jetta with a license plate beginning with CE296 in connection with a series of armed robberies that morning in Bucktown.
Thursday evening, the Jetta was used again by a group of armed men who committed more robberies in Bucktown, Little Italy, and Tri-Taylor, not far from where the 16-year-old was shot on Friday. Another robbery spree swept through Bucktown and Wicker Park a few hours later, but it involved gunmen who used a dark-colored SUV, according to police reports.
Detectives are investigating the shooting and robberies. According to a source, the 16-year-old remained under police guard as a possible suspect as of late Friday night.
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