A 9-year-old girl was killed and 10 others were injured in a shooting Saturday evening in Chicago’s New City neighborhood, police and the girl’s father said Sunday.
Chicago Police Department officers responded to West 52nd Street and South Damen Avenue after an alert on ShotSpotter, a network of sensors that reports gunshot noises, detected shots fired around 9:18 p.m. Three children were injured and three people remain in critical condition, police said.
Jose Molina said his daughter, Ariana Molina, 9, died from a gunshot wound to the head after being transported to a nearby hospital. Molina said his family had gathered in the front yard of the family home for his sister’s confirmation and were about to cut the cake when shots were fired. He said he found his daughter lying in the grass. Police reports gave the girl’s age as 8.
“Ariana loved to play around,” Molina said. “She used to like to do braids, and she loved her brothers. She was just a wonderful girl.”
Molina said he suffered a gunshot to the foot, and his wife was hospitalized after a gunshot to her shoulder. His two nephews and his son’s two god-siblings were also shot Saturday night.
According to Chicago police, a 1-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy were each shot multiple times in the abdomen and were transported to Comer Children’s Hospital, where they were in critical condition. Molina said their conditions have improved.
A 9-year-old boy also suffered a graze wound to a pinky finger.
A witness reported that a black sedan approached the group and fired shots into the crowd before fleeing southbound on Damen, according to authorities. Seven adults were injured in the shooting, ranging in age from 19 to 40. Police said Sunday that Area One detectives are investigating, and no one is in custody.
In a statement released Sunday, Mayor Brandon Johnson denounced the shooting.
“This heinous and cowardly act of wanton violence that leaves our city mourning children is beyond reprehensible,” Johnson said.
The city’s Community Safety Coordination Center will canvass the neighborhood Monday to connect the community with the city’s victim services, the statement said, and police presence will be increased at affected schools.
At a news briefing at the scene, Deputy Chief Don Jerome said the shooting was likely an act of gang-related violence.
“The offenders’ actions, make no mistake, are horrific and unacceptable in our city,” Jerome said.
Molina said his family has lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years and was in the process of buying a house elsewhere.
“We were just a little too late,” Molina said. “At this point, we would’ve moved anywhere because of the gun violence here in the neighborhood. It’s too much.”
On Thursday, a 15-year-old boy died from gunshot wounds he’d sustained after being shot March 27 in the 800 block of West 52nd Street in the same neighborhood. In early March, an 18-year-old boy was shot and critically injured while sitting in his car less than a third of a mile from Saturday’s shooting.
The office of 16th Ward Alderwoman Stephanie Coleman, who represents the area, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Craig Chico, CEO of the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, said his organization was devastated by the news.
“We’ve got to figure out what we can do to keep our folks safe,” Chico said. “Right now and everywhere. Death is not acceptable by any means, but when it’s a child or an infant, that just takes it up a level.”
