6:34 a.m. CDT, September 20, 2013
Thirteen people, including a 3-year-old boy who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, were shot at a Chicago park in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Thursday night, authorities said.
Ten adults and the 3-year-old were transported by Fire Department ambulances after the attack in the 1800 block of West 51st Street in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, said Fire Department Deputy District Chief James Mungovan at the scene. A 12th victim was believed to have driven himself to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, a source said, citing preliminary information.
Police said later a total of 13 people were shot, the boy, two teens, and 10 adults, with the boy the most seriously wounded. The boy suffered a gunshot wound to the head at an ear that exited through his mouth, and was in critical condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.
The attack took place about 10:15 p.m. and fire officials called an Emergency Medical Services Plan II, sending at least 10 ambulances to the scene.
Chicago police were making no information about what happened public, except to say that the shooting appeared to be gang-related. The shootings took place on a basketball court on the 51st Street side of Cornell Square Park near Wood Street.
A witness at the scene said three police officers carried the child to an ambulance.
"I didn't hear no sounds," from the child, he said.
Family members identified the boy as Deonta' Howard, whose uncle was shot to death on Labor Day, Sept. 2.
Deonta'--pronounced Deontay--nicknamed Tay Man, has a dislike for haircuts, one cousin said.
"He didn't like haircuts because he has a big head," said Porsche Chester, a cousin of the boy's. "But he is extremely smart. He didn't have that (head) for nothing."
Three of the victims, including the boy, were initially taken to local hospitals in serious-to-critical condition, according to the Fire Department's news office. Four were in fair-to-serious condition, and four were in good-to-fair condition, according to the Fire Department.
Ambulances continued to arrive until about half an hour after the shootings took place, as injured people were brought out of the park on stretchers.
At the peak, about 60 police officers were on the scene. Police crime lab investigators combed the scene. By about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Chicago firefighters used hoses to clean blood from the basketball court at the park.
The victims' ages, sexes and injuries were, according to Police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines:
- The 3-year-old boy, shot in the ear, in critical condition at Mount Sinai;
- A 17-year-old girl, shot in the foot, condition stabilized at Holy Cross Hospital;
- A 15-year-old boy shot in the arm, stabilized at Holy Cross;
- A man, 27, shot in the leg and wrist, serious condition at Mount Sinai;
- A man, 24, shot twice in the stomach, serious condition at Mount Sinia;
- A man, 21, shot in the leg, serious condition at Mount Sinai;
- A man, 41, shot in the buttocks, serious condition at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital;
- A woman, 33, shot in the shoulder, condition stabilized at Northwestern Memorial Hospital;
- A man, 31, shot in the buttocks, condition stabilized at Northwestern;
- A woman, 23, shot in the foot, condition stabilized at St. Anthony Hospital;
- A man, 37, shot in the leg, in good condition at Stroger;
- A man, 25, shot in the knee, in good condition at Northwestern;
- And a man, 33, who drove himself to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park with a gunshot wound to the leg and who was treated and released.
