Chicago shooting: Multiple gunshots shatter house window killing 1, injuring 2 in ‘first homicide of the year’

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

SOUTH WABASH, CHICAGO: A 53-year-old man was shot and died of multiple gunshots while two women wounded were injured in a shooting in Chicago that has been marked as the ‘first homicide of the year’.

Further investigation revealed that the gunfire on Monday, January 1, brought an end to a New Year's gathering in Park Manor as at least two dozen bullet holes punctured the front of a single-family home. 

According to investigators, the shots originated from outside the home and struck the victims after penetrating through the window as per ABC7.

Police find three victims in crime scene

Authorities responded to the 7000 block of South Wabash Avenue around 12.45 am and discovered three victims inside the residence.

A 53-year-old man, who was shot multiple times, succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

 Another victim, a 49-year-old woman, sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in a critical condition. 

The third victim, a 48-year-old woman, suffered a gunshot wound in the arm and was also taken to the same hospital where the second victim was admitted. Importantly, a child was present inside the home during the incident but remained unharmed.

The police have not disclosed information regarding the identification of any individuals of interest. Simultaneously, the medical examiner is refraining from releasing the victim's name until family notification.

First homicide of the year

Following the investigation, the police reported that no suspects have been arrested, and the inquiry is still ongoing. Notably, no motive has been identified yet, and investigators are considering various possibilities. 

Crisis responder Andrew Holmes mentioned, "It's still in the preliminaries with multiple shell casings on the outside and inside. Until the detectives bring it out and tell you there was somebody on the inside that got upset about something, some dispute, they left and came back or if an individual was on the outside and was targeting this family." 

The fatal shooting represents the city’s first homicide of the year. This incident follows the Chicago Police Department's announcement of a 13% reduction in murders from 2022 to 2023.

Holmes added, "The numbers are still there, whether they say they're low or they're up. We still have a homicide. When they get to zero, and we don't have to call or visit nobody's family so they can enjoy life, then that's satisfactory."

Some residents in the neighborhood were hesitant to speak publicly, suggesting they believed the gunfire was merely people firing shots into the air, as is common on New Year's Eve.

A resident named Brandy, who lives in the area, shared, "I was hearing all gunshots for the firing on New Year's, but then, the gunshots I heard sounded real close. So then, when I seen all the lights and stuff from the police, that's when I looked out the window."