At least four people were killed and four more were wounded in a second mass shooting in Chicago in four days on Tuesday morning. According to police, a barrage of gunfire began just before 6 a.m. in the city's Englewood area. The incident occurred after a domestic disturbance.
When the gunfire began, many people were gathered inside, said the police. Four individuals were declared dead at the scene, as per ABC affiliate WLS-TV in Chicago, which obtained information from police sources. The identities of those killed, as well as their ages, were not immediately revealed.
The reason for Chicago's second mass shooting remains unclear
Three women are among the deceased, said Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, who spoke during a press conference. The incident left four individuals critically injured, including a 25-year-old and a 41-year-old male. Both were reportedly shot in the back of the head.
A woman and a 23-year-old man who was injured in the back are in serious condition at the University of Chicago Hospital. Private vehicles were used to transport some of the injured to hospitals.
Authorities said a 2-year-old child who was in the house at the time of the shooting was taken to St. Bernard Hospital for observation but did not appear to be hurt, reported USA Today. The reason for the shooting, as well as the circumstances surrounding it, are being investigated. There have been no arrests.
Police were called to the neighborhood about 2 a.m. to investigate a report of shots fired near the quadruple crime scene, according to Brown. When officers returned to the scene at 5:45 a.m., he claimed they discovered multiple shooting victims.
Brown said police had previously been to the same residence for "disturbances," but he wouldn't say what the prior calls were about. Following Tuesday's mass shooting, a high-capacity ammunition magazine was discovered at the residence and there was no apparent force entry, as per CNN.
So far, no one has been named as a suspect in the shooting. The victims are the only witnesses, but because they are still being treated for their injuries, police have not been able to obtain testimonies from them, he added.
Chicago Mayor says there are many things to do to end violence
According to USA Today, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated at a press conference on Tuesday, "We must accept this for what it is - a tragedy that has ripped apart families and inflicted intense trauma on numerous individuals. It informs us that there's still a lot of work to be done."
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Biden administration reached out to the city, said Lightfoot. Community activist Andrew Holmes says dozens of people were out on the sidewalks near the shooting scene Tuesday morning, attempting to figure out what happened.
Many people had not heard from their loved ones, and others were rushing to local hospitals to see if they could obtain identification, according to Holmes. Last year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, gun violence spiked in Chicago - and throughout the country - and it's doing so again this year.
The city data shows more than 1,600 individuals have been shot in Chicago in 2021, a 19 percent raise over the same period last year. Over 260 people have died as a result of gunshot wounds. Police data revealed that the number of shootings has increased by 56% in the last two years.
People living in low-income communities on Chicago's South and West Sides, where food shops and pharmacies are few, are disproportionately affected by gun violence. Municipal records indicate more than 80% of the shooting victims this year are Black. The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group that monitors media and police reports said there have been more than 274 mass shootings nationwide so far in 2021. A mass shooting is defined as four or more persons shot or killed, not counting the offender.
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