CHICAGO — A night of summer gathering turned into tragedy early Sunday when gunfire erupted on Chicago’s Far North Side, leaving six people shot — one fatally — in what authorities are describing as a mass shooting.
According to Chicago police, officers were called to the scene just after midnight following multiple 911 calls reporting shots fired. The incident occurred in a residential and commercial stretch of the neighborhood where small bars, late-night restaurants, and apartments mix closely together.
Witnesses reported hearing a rapid series of gunshots, followed by chaos as people scrambled for cover. “It sounded like fireworks at first, but then people were screaming and running,” said one nearby resident. “It was pure panic.”
When first responders arrived, they discovered multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds scattered along the block. A 27-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts by paramedics. Five other victims — ranging in age from late teens to early 40s — were transported to area hospitals with injuries that police said varied from critical to stable condition.
Preliminary information suggests that the shooting may have been the result of a dispute that escalated into violence, though investigators have not ruled out other motives. Detectives from the Chicago Police Department’s Area Three Violent Crimes Unit are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses and interviewing witnesses.
The identity of the deceased man has not yet been released, pending notification of family. Police have not announced any arrests and say the gunman or gunmen fled before officers arrived.
The mass shooting has renewed calls from local community leaders for increased police patrols and anti-violence initiatives in neighborhoods not traditionally considered high-crime areas. “This is the Far North Side — we don’t see this kind of thing here often,” said one alderman. “It’s a painful reminder that gun violence can happen anywhere in our city.”
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications confirmed that several streets in the area were closed for hours overnight as crime scene investigators documented evidence, including more than a dozen shell casings.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact detectives or submit an anonymous tip through Cook County Crime Stoppers.
I can also prepare an expanded eyewitness-focused version of this story with more neighborhood detail and victim background if you’d like it to feel more like an on-the-ground report.
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