2 men killed in Chicago Lawn shootout; 1 was with 18-month-old son, police say

CHICAGO - Two men shot and killed each other Monday morning after one of them ambushed the other while he was with his 18-month-old son in Chicago Lawn on the South Side, police say.

Alton D. Ellis, 31, was with his toddler about 8:40 a.m. in the 6200 block of South Mozart Street when Rayshawn Finley, 24, approached him on foot and fired shots, Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Ellis was struck in the chest and twice in his torso, and fired shots in return, police said. The toddler was unharmed.

Police initially said Ellis was taking his son to school when the shooting happened, and his son ran to get help. They later said that a 23-year-old woman heard the gunshots from inside her apartment and found Ellis outside with gunshot wounds.

Finley, who allegedly fired shots first, was struck in both of his thighs, police said. He lived in Chatham.

Officers responded to the gunfire and found Finley in a car with gunshots and applied a tourniquet, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead.

Ellis, who police said was targeted for “unknown reasons,” was taken to Holy Cross Hospital and also pronounced dead. He lived in southwest suburban Justice.

Area Central detectives are conducting a homicide investigation.