8 killed, 23 wounded in Chicago weekend shootings

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One person was shot on the Bishop Ford near south suburban Blue Island early Saturday morning. | Network Video Productions, Inc

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - Eight people were killed and at least 23 others wounded in shootings across Chicago over the weekend.

The latest homicide happened about 12:30 a.m. Monday in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side.

A 42-year-old man was shot in the chest in the 500 block of South Cicero and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died, police said. His name has not yet been released.

A man and a teenage boy found dead after a single-vehicle crash in the Northwest Side Irving Park neighborhood early Sunday had also been shot, authorities said.

The vehicle was northbound in the 3700 block of North California about 5:15 a.m. when it struck a planter, according to Chicago Police.

The driver, identified as 21-year-old Alan Garcia; and a 16-year-old passenger identified as Roberto Sanchez, were both taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Both had suffered gunshot wounds in addition to injuries caused by the crash.

Garcia, of National City, California, was pronounced dead at Masonic at 5:43 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide.

Sanchez, of the 2900 block of North Elston, was pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:02 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of blunt force injuries to the torso from the crash, with multiple gunshot wounds listed as a contributing factor. His death was also ruled a homicide.

About the same time Sunday morning, a 30-year-old man was gunned down by the woman whose home he broke into in the South Side Woodlawn neighborhood, police said.

He forced his way into the 28-year-old woman’s residence in the 400 block of East 62nd Street about 5:15 a.m. and began to beat her, police said, adding that the woman knew the man and the incident was domestic-related.

During the struggle, she grabbed a handgun and opened fire. He was dead at the scene, police said.

The woman has a valid FOID card, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear if charges would be filed.

Late Saturday, a 34-year-old man was shot to death in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the West Side.

He was walking on a sidewalk about 10:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of North Springfield when two people walked up and one of them opened fire, hitting him multiple times before they ran off, police said.

The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he later died, police said.

About 3 a.m. Saturday, a 31-year-old man was fatally shot in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired in the 0–100 block of North Kilbourn found the 26-year-old lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds, police said.

DeMorrow Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:12 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. Stephens lived in the 900 block of North Waller.

About two hours earlier, a West Englewood neighborhood shooting left a man dead on the South Side.

Officers found 19-year-old Damon Allen Jr. lying on the ground in the 5900 block of South Bishop about 1:05 a.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was shot in the head and chest.

Allen, who lived in the 1400 block of North Central, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he later died, authorities said.

The weekend’s first shooting that happened Friday evening in Austin.

Martice White was standing outside in the 5100 block of West Division at 6:21 p.m. when someone walked up behind him and opened fire, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The shooter then ran away.

White suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived in the 5000 block of West Concord Place.

The most recent nonfatal shooting left a 16-year-old boy in critical condition in Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side.

He was wounded in a possible drive-by attack about 9:50 p.m. Sunday in the 6000 block of South Sacramento. The boy, a documented gang member, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.

Ten minutes earlier, an 18-year-old man was shot in Austin’s 5600 block of West Bloomingdale. He took himself to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where his condition stabilized, police said.

About 8:30 p.m., another Austin shooting happened in the 1500 block of North Menard, where a 25-year-old man was shot in the buttocks. He ran to a police station for help and later was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

At least 20 more people were wounded in other shootings across the city between 10:45 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m Monday.

Additionally, Chicago Police fatally shot a man they say broke into a West Englewood home early Sunday.