73 people shot, 11 fatally, over July Fourth weekend in Chicago that began and ended with mass attacks

CHICAGO - The long July Fourth weekend in Chicago began with four men shot in Chicago Lawn and ended with five people shot and a man beaten to death in an attack in Englewood.

In between, a 15-year-old girl and her mother were killed, a 5-year-old girl was grazed by a bullet and an 85-year-old man was shot during a robbery. Boys 14 and 15 were also among the wounded.

At least 73 people were shot in the city during the four-day weekend and 11 of them died, a slightly higher toll than last year when the holiday only lasted three days, according to data kept by the Sun-Times.

The last time the holiday spanned four days was in 2019, and the count was 68 people shot, 5 of them fatally. In 2017, when the holiday covered Saturday through Tuesday like this year, more than 100 people were shot in one of the bloodiest July Fourth weekends in the city’s recent history.

This year, nearly half the people shot were in just three police districts: Deering and Englewood on the South Side, and Chicago Lawn on the Southwest Side.

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At least 12 people were shot in Deering, which covers Bridgeport, Armour Square and Bronzeville and which has generally seen less gun violence this year.

Murders are down 61% in the district and shootings are down 6%, according to police data.

The Englewood district saw at least 11 people shot and the Chicago Lawn district at least nine. Murders are up 6% in Englewood but shootings are down 23%.  In Chicago Lawn, murders are up 18% and shootings down 16%.

Fatal shootings this weekend

• Four people were shot Friday evening in the 6300 block of South Artesian Avenue, according to police. The four were standing on a sidewalk when someone in a black Dodge Charger pulled up and someone inside opened fire, police said. A 23-year-old man was shot in the buttocks and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he died. Two other men, 24 and 27, each suffered leg wounds and were taken to hospitals in good condition. Another man, 58, was shot in the hip and back and was also hospitalized in good condition, police said.
• Minutes later, a man was killed in West Englewood. Andre Barker, 43, was in the 5600 block of South Wolcott Avenue when he was shot several times around 8:30 p.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
• A person was killed and two others were wounded Saturday evening in West Elsdon, according to police. Someone in a silver sedan opened fire around 7:50 p.m. in the 5300 block of South Kostner Avenue, striking a 52-year-old woman, a 19-year-old man and another male, police said. The male, whose age wasn’t released, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead, police said. The 19-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with gunshot wounds to the leg and hand, police said. The woman was taken to Christ Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the face. Both were reported in good condition.
• Just after midnight Monday, a 15-year-old girl and her mother were shot to death in their Little Village home in the 2600 block of South Millard Avenue, police said. The girl’s brother was shot in the ankle and fled to a neighbor’s house and called police. Daniela Alvarez was shot in the face and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her mother, Karina Gonzalez, 48, suffered several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The son was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition. The teens’ dad has been charged.
• A man was killed Monday afternoon in Brighton Park on the South Side. Just before 5 p.m., Branden Colesio, 22, was standing on a sidewalk outside a Walgreens in the 4700 block of South Western Avenue when a car approached and someone inside opened fire, according to police. He suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder and buttocks and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died.
• Early Tuesday, a man was killed during an argument in the River North neighborhood. The man, 49, was outside arguing with a woman in the 600 block of North Dearborn Street when she pulled out a gun and fired shots around 12:25 a.m., police said. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
• A man was killed and another critically wounded Tuesday morning in New City on the South Side. About 7:20 a.m., the men were outside in the 4400 block of South Wood Street when someone got out of a car and opened fire, police said. One man, 24, suffered gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Another man, 25, was struck in the abdomen and right arm, police said. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said.
• A man was killed and another was wounded early Wednesday in the West Loop. A man believed to be in his 40s was found just after midnight in the 1100 block of South Des Plaines Street with a gunshot wound, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died. Another man, 32, was shot in the head and was taken in fair condition to the same hospital.
• About 10 minutes later, a 24-year-old man was crossing a street in East Garfield Park when several people began shooting at him in the 800 block of South Lawndale Avenue. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
• Shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday, a group was gathered outside in the 5600 block of South Ada Street when someone opened fire, police said.  A man, 27, was wounded in the leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was stabilized. A 35-year-old man was shot in the chest and was transported to the same hospital, where he died. A woman, 21, was shot in the thigh and taken to the hospital and stabilized. A man, 23, was shot in the abdomen and taken to the hospital in critical condition. A 29-year-old man was shot in the left foot and left leg and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was stabilized. A 21-year-old man suffered a blow to the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Other shootings

• A 5-year-old girl was grazed by a bullet in a shooting that also wounded a 43-year-old man Saturday evening in North Lawndale. The girl suffered a gunshot wound to her foot and the man was shot in the arm about 6:30 p.m. in the 3800 block of West Roosevelt Road, according to police. Officers were responding to a report of a man shot in the block when they discovered the girl was also wounded, police said. The girl was taken to Stroger Hospital and the man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment, police said. Both were reported to be in good condition.
• A man was critically injured after he was struck by a car and then shot early Sunday in McKinley Park. The man, 35, was running through a parking lot around 12:40 a.m. in the 3400 block of South Ashland Avenue when someone in a blue sedan hit him, police said. The man fell to the ground, then someone inside the car began shooting at him, police said. He was shot twice in the right thigh and once in the left thigh. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to police.
• A 15-year-old boy was shot Tuesday night on the Near West Side. He suffered two gunshot wounds to his left leg and another to his right leg around 8:30 p.m. while in the 200 block of South Campbell Avenue, police said. The boy was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.