CHICAGO (CBS) — Two women and a child were killed and two other children were seriously injured in a mass shooting in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Thursday morning, according to Chicago police.
Deputy Chief Don Jerome said officers responded to a report of shots fired around 6:15 a.m. in the 7100 block of South Woodlawn Avenue, where they found five people shot.
Two cars drove into the area. Several people got out and fired shots from a rifle and a handgun into the house.
The shooters fled in an unknown direction. No one has been arrested.
Provided to CBS
The victims were two women, identified by the family as Capri Edwards, 24, Nakeeshia Strong, 45, and an 8-year-old boy who died. Two other boys, ages 5 and 8, were injured. All suffered gunshot wounds and were given first aid by officers.
Strong died at the scene. Edwards was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died.
All three children were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, initially in critical condition. Later Thursday, Chicago police reported that one of the 8-year-old boys had died.
The Cook County coroner had not yet identified the 8-year-old boy who died Thursday night.
“I’m just numb”
Markita Scott, Edwards’ mother, told CBS News Chicago that her daughter died trying to save her children. Scott said Edwards was not only her daughter, but also her best friend.
“She was protecting her babies so he wouldn’t get hit,” Scott said. “So she really died to save her children.”
Scott described Strong as a mother, grandmother, aunt and a very loving person.
“I’m just numb,” Scott said. “I just want someone to come forward with some kind of information so [there’s] justice for my daughter.”
Police say they are investigating the possibility that the shooting was the result of a personal dispute.
A neighbor said he heard the shots and ran to his window.
“I thought it was fireworks, but it wasn’t fireworks. Two people jumped off the porch, they had masks on so I couldn’t see their faces, they jumped off and they went straight. They went straight down. I run back inside to get out of there,” he said.
Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th) called for an end to the violence and said he prays it doesn’t happen again.
“This senseless violence has got to stop. Personal conflict and guns, it’s become a bad combination. You know, summer has just begun. I don’t want to stand in front of another group of microphones and have another discussion about the pain that’s causing our communities,” Yancy said.
Detectives in the area are investigating the shooting. Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip to CPDTip.com.