A 14-year-old boy was killed and four other people were wounded in a shooting Thursday night in Fuller Park where responding police exchanged fire with a gunman, authorities said.
Officers were dispatched to the scene around 8:20 p.m. after a ShotSpotter detector picked up gunfire as a group of people shot at another group in the 4200 block of South Wells Street, Chicago police said. They found several victims on the ground and a gunman standing near them.
“That armed offender then discharged his firearm in the direction of the officers,” police said in a statement. “An officer returned fire and the offender fled and was taken into custody a short time later. It was discovered the offender had a gunshot wound to the leg.”
Police said it was not immediately clear whether the gunman had been wounded by police or was already shot when officers arrived.
A 14-year-old boy was found with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Another boy, 16, was shot in the leg and was taken to the same hospital in good condition, police said.
Two men, 18 and 19, were in critical condition at the same hospital. The younger man was shot in the back, and the other suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and leg, according to police.
A 21-year-old woman was taken to Insight Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand, police said. Her condition was not known.
Three police officers were hospitalized for observation, officials said.
Police said two handguns were recovered. Yellow crime tape blocked off Wells Street from 43rd to Root Street.
The owner of a liquor store nearby said his surveillance cameras captured people running after shots were fired and police converged on the area. The owner said shootings happen somewhat often in the area “but it’s actually been pretty good lately.”
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability responded to the scene, as is routine in a shooting involving police.
