Chicago saw its bloodiest weekend this year as gun violence throughout the city left seven dead and 41 injured, including boys younger than 19.
One victim was 16-year-old Kevin Rivera, who was shot to death, as he walked near his home, by a bicycle-riding gunman, United Press International reported.
Another was a 15-year-old who was shot and killed by police during a drug-related emergency call in the South Side’s Englewood neighborhood, the Chicago Tribune reported. Police responded to a drug call about 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, saw three suspects running, and launched a foot chase. The suspect turned and pointed what appeared to be a gun at the officer during the course of the chase, the Tribune said. The officer in turn fired his weapon.
The boy was taken to a nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead an hour later, the Tribune said.
Others killed included Jamal Jones, 19, Ricardo Herrera, 21, McGregory Porter, 24, Cortez Wilberton, 31, and Todd Wood, 40, UPI reported.
Police say this was the worst weekend for gun violence since the beginning of the year, and residents say they are unnerved. NBC put the statistics at seven dead and 41 wounded, up from earlier estimates by different media of six dead and 36 wounded.
“I had a family from my parish tell me recently that their 10-year-old son didn’t want to come back to Chicago from vacation because of the violence,” said the Rev. Machel Pfleger of St. Sabina Catholic Church, in the UPI report.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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