3 dead, 2 children seriously injured in shooting on Chicago’s South Side

CHICAGO (CBS) — Two women and a child were killed and two other children were seriously injured in a mass shooting in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on Thursday morning, according to Chicago police.

Deputy Chief Don Jerome said officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 7100 block of South Woodlawn Avenue around 6:15 a.m. and found five people shot.

Two cars drove into the area. Several people got out and fired rifles and pistols at the house.

The shooters fled the scene in an unknown direction and no one was arrested.

The victims were two women, identified by family as Capri Edwards, 24, Nakeeshia Strong, 45, and an 8-year-old boy who died. Two other boys, ages 5 and 8, were injured. They all had gunshot wounds and were treated by officers.

Strong died at the scene of the accident. Edwards was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died.

All three children were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. Their condition was initially critical. Later Thursday, Chicago police announced that one of the 8-year-old boys had died.

As of Thursday evening, the Cook County Coroner’s Office had not yet determined the identity of the deceased 8-year-old boy.

“I’m just deaf”

Markita Scott, Edwards’ mother, told CBS News Chicago her daughter died trying to save her children. Scott said Edwards was not only her daughter, but also her best friend.

“She was shielding her babies so they wouldn’t get hit,” Scott said. “So she really died to save her children.”

Scott described Strong as a mother, grandmother, aunt and very loving person.

“I’m just stunned,” Scott said. “I just want someone to come forward with information so my daughter can get justice.”

Police said they were investigating the possibility that the shooting was the result of a personal dispute.

A neighbor said he heard the shots and ran to his window.

“I thought it was fireworks, but it wasn’t fireworks. Two people jumped off the porch. They were wearing masks so I couldn’t see their faces. They took them off and went straight downstairs. They went straight downstairs. I ran back into the house to get away from them,” he said.

Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th) called for an end to the violence and said he prays it won’t happen again.

“This senseless violence has to stop. Personal conflicts and guns are a bad combination. You know, summer is just beginning. I don’t want to stand in front of another group of microphones and have another discussion about the suffering that is being inflicted on our communities,” Yancy said.

Local police are currently investigating the shooting. Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip to CPDTip.com.