Deadly night on Chicago's South Side after pair of shootings, CTA stabbings

CHICAGO - A series of violent incidents across Chicago’s South Side left two people dead and several others injured late Tuesday into early Wednesday.

Timeline:

The first incident happened around 10:45 p.m. near an Englewood gas station when a 19-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman were shot near 67th and Halsted streets. 

Police said the man was getting into a vehicle when someone opened fire, striking him in the foot. The woman, who was inside the car, was also hit. 

Both were taken to the University of Chicago Hospital and listed in good condition. Investigators said the male victim had been involved in a fight before the shooting.

Deadly double shooting in Chatham

Less than an hour later, two men were shot while standing outside near 78th Street and Calumet Avenue. Police said a group of five people approached them before opening fire. 

A 37-year-old man was shot once in the chest and died at the scene, while a 44-year-old man was shot several times and taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Neither of the victims' identities have been released by the Cook County medical examiner's office.

CTA stabbings

Around 1:25 a.m., two men were attacked on a CTA Red Line train near the 47th Street station. 

Police said an argument escalated when another rider pulled out a sharp object and stabbed both victims in the neck. They were taken to the hospital and listed in fair condition.

No suspects are in custody in any of the incidents.

What they're saying:

The attacks came a day after Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to criticism lodged against his senior leadership team from fired former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Garien Gatewood and former Office of Violence Prevention Director Manny Whitfield.

Both Gatewood and Whitfield alleged the firings happened because they "held people accountable" in the office. The former employees also alleged that the mayor and his senior leadership team harbor "hostility" toward law enforcement.

"I can't speak to why someone makes a claim," Johnson said. "As I've said repeatedly, the women and men who serve the city on the frontline deserve the ultimate respect, which is why I appreciate the work Superintendent [Larry] Snelling as well as [Fire Commissioner Annette] Nance-Holt have done to begin to restore relationships within community around our first responders. There's no secret there has been some strain in the community, and it's clear indication we're moving in the right direction."

On Tuesday, Johnson also defended his approach to fighting crime on the CTA.

"We are moving to strategically deploy additional safety resources to our trains and buses, including additional patrol hours by our CPD officers and a new partnership with the Cook County Sheriff's Office," Johnson said. "As we have sought to address persistent rates of violence on the CTA, we are directing the full force of government towards ensuring Chicagoans can feel safe during their commute."