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Chicago park shooting leaves boy and others wounded | Chicago park shooting leaves boy and others wounded |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Up to 13 people, including a young child, have been wounded in a shooting at a basketball court in Chicago. | Up to 13 people, including a young child, have been wounded in a shooting at a basketball court in Chicago. |
A three-year-old boy and three other people were in a critical condition after the attack in a park in the city's south side. | |
Witnesses said one or two gunmen opened fire. Police told local media the boy was the most seriously hurt. | |
Chicago saw more murders last year than New York City, which has a population three times bigger. | |
Julian Harris told the Chicago Sun-Times that his three-year-old nephew was wounded in the cheek after gang members opened fire at him and others. | Julian Harris told the Chicago Sun-Times that his three-year-old nephew was wounded in the cheek after gang members opened fire at him and others. |
"They hit the light pole next to me but I ducked down and ran into the house," Mr Harris said. "They've been coming round here looking for people to shoot every night." | "They hit the light pole next to me but I ducked down and ran into the house," Mr Harris said. "They've been coming round here looking for people to shoot every night." |
'Boom, boom, boom' | |
The boy's grandmother, Semecha Nunn, told the Associated Press news agency he would require "a little plastic surgery, but he's OK". | The boy's grandmother, Semecha Nunn, told the Associated Press news agency he would require "a little plastic surgery, but he's OK". |
The dozen or so injured in the shooting at Cornell Square Park ranged in age from 15 to 41. | |
An unnamed neighbour told the Chicago Tribune: "Man, it was a lot of shots. Man, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. A little boy got hit in the face." | |
Firefighters used hoses to wash blood off the basketball court once police had finished examining the crime scene. | |
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement: "Senseless and brazen acts of violence have no place in Chicago and betray all that we stand for. | |
"The perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice and prosecuted to the full extent of the law." | "The perpetrators of this crime will be brought to justice and prosecuted to the full extent of the law." |
Chicago police officer Amina Greer said 10 ambulances were needed to transport victims to nearby hospitals following the shooting at 22:00 local time (03:00 GMT). | Chicago police officer Amina Greer said 10 ambulances were needed to transport victims to nearby hospitals following the shooting at 22:00 local time (03:00 GMT). |
At least two other minors, ages 15 and 17, were among the victims, according to media reports. | At least two other minors, ages 15 and 17, were among the victims, according to media reports. |
Another police spokesman, Ron Gaines, said no arrests had been made so far. He said victims were being interviewed to determine the circumstances of the shooting. | Another police spokesman, Ron Gaines, said no arrests had been made so far. He said victims were being interviewed to determine the circumstances of the shooting. |
Witness Francis John, 70, said she was in her home when the shooting occurred. "A lot of youngsters were running scared," she told AP. | Witness Francis John, 70, said she was in her home when the shooting occurred. "A lot of youngsters were running scared," she told AP. |
The shooting comes nearly three weeks after an outburst of violence in the city left eight dead and 20 injured. | |
The Windy City saw 506 murders in 2012, compared with 419 in New York, according to a report this week by the FBI. | |
The pace of violent crime in President Barack Obama's adopted hometown has slackened this year, amid a major police crackdown. | |
The number of murders in Chicago was down 21% at 297 so far this year, while the number of shootings was down 22% at 1,361, the latest crime report showed. | |
One Chicago murder this year that caught national attention was of Hadiya Pendleton, 15, a schoolgirl killed at a park just days after she performed at a January presidential inauguration event in Washington DC. |