A gunman opened fire during an argument in the Loop overnight, striking five people, two of whom died, according to Chicago police. It happened on the same block where a mass shooting left four people injured on May 3.
Police said the victims got into an argument with someone as they were leaving a business in the 400 block of South Wells around 1:44 a.m. The offender pulled out a gun and began shooting at the men, according to initial information from CPD.
Personnel stationed at Chicago Fire Department Engine Company 1, 419 South Wells, were the first to call in the gunfire. Video tweeted from a nearby resident shows an ambulance stationed at the firehouse leaving on a run as gunfire continued to break out. Watch:
Lots of gunshots. Ambulance was leaving before string of shots began. pic.twitter.com/0yIbSRZMgn
— Michael F (@Mybuddyistechi1) July 1, 2022
Police detained a man at the scene. He was taken to the Area Three detective division for questioning.
Officers found two victims at the scene who subsequently died: a 29-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his head and a 26-year-old man who suffered a gunshot wound to his chest.
Three more victims walked into Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment. Police said a 35-year-old man received two gunshot wounds to his left arm, a 29-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to his buttocks, and a person of unknown age was also shot in the buttocks.
On May 3, four people were shot when two gunmen opened fire on an SUV on the same block. Three people in the SUV and a bystander were shot. Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene, including some fired by a rifle. Those victims had also just left a local business. No charges have been filed.
So far this year, 21 people have been shot in the Loop, according to records maintained by CWBChicago. That includes a man who was shot by police after he allegedly opened fire on a police officer and a man who was shot by a Millennium Park security officer after he allegedly pointed a gun at the guard.
By comparison, the Loop had 13 shooting victims at this point last year, six as of July 1, 2020, and four during all of 2019. Two of 2019’s shootings were deemed to be self-defense.
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