At least 19 injured in shootings across city Thursday night
BY KIM JANSSEN, VICTORIA JOHNSON and HUNTER CLAUSS Staff Reporters August 23, 2012 10:15PM
Multiple people shot on 79th & Essex. Thursday, August 23, 2012 | Brian Jackson~Sun Times
Updated: September 25, 2012 11:02AM
Eight people — mostly teenagers — were wounded Thursday night in a drive-by shooting in the South Shore neighborhood, police said.
The shooting involved two warring factions of the Black P. Stones around 9:15 p.m. in the 7800 block of South Essex, police said.
Two 14-year-old boys were wounded — one in his arm; the other youth in his leg. They were taken to area hospitals.
A 15-year-old who was shot in the back of the neck went to University of Chicago Comer’s Children’s Hospital.
Other victims hospitalized in the incident included two 16-year-olds, and a 19-year-old female. Two men — ages 20 and 28 — also were wounded in the shootings.
About 10:30 p.m., at least a dozen police cars left the shooting site and sped to 81st and Stony Island. Police, including SWAT teams with rifles, surrounded the South Shore Motel.
A suspect’s car was found nearby. A blood trail also led from the car to one of the rooms.
Just before midnight, police announced, “occupants of room . . . open your blinds so we can see into your room.”
Police also shined bright lights on the motel.
But early Friday morning, SWAT team members got into the room but found no one inside. They, however, did find two guns. Motel surveillance video showed two males left the motel just before officers arrived, police said. But police weren’t sure if they were involved in the shooting.
Overall, at least 19 people were wounded in city shootings since 5 p.m. Thursday.
On Feb. 19, seven people were shot — two fatally — in a drive-by outside a liquor store at the intersection of 79th Street and Essex Avenue.
