Tuesday, January 4, 2011

One Dead, One Shot Near Sunnyside Mall

It didn't take long in the New Year for the shooting to start. It's so sad that nothing has been learned from the previous shooting deaths. At least one family will be grieving tonight at the loss of a loved one, and all for no good reason.

Multiple reports there was a shooting around 12:20pm today. The police saw it happen. One person is dead at the scene, and one person was struck in the hand. After a foot chase, the police have the gun and the shooter.  There are still ambulances and multiple squad cars on the scene.

We're hearing all sorts of locations for the shootings, but it seems to be somewhere near the Sunnyside Mall and probably on Magnolia.

Update:  A good source is telling us: "Sounds like it happened as a drive-by on Malden and then a foot chase down Wilson to Magnolia." "I realize I was a little off in describing what happened. The shooting must have happened at the strip mall [at Wilson and Magnolia] with the foot chase on Wilson to 4520 Malden.  In fact it must have happened right in front of the Subway."

Media Updates:  Chicago Breaking News has a short story on it, saying it was (surprise) gang-related.  Here's coverage from CBS2 Chicago.

Reminder:  The CAPS beat meeting for that area, 2311, is tonight at Truman College, at 7pm.

Please add details in the comments if you know them.

55 comments:

  1. that picture looks to have been taken on the west end of the mall, looking towards the middle? school on beacon

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  2. I overheard a police radio giving an address somewhere on the 4500 block of Magnolia. Police were talking to witnesses around Wilson and Magnolia.

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  3. glad the cops got the shooter and the gun. can't count on any of the gang bangers as witnesses, so need the hard evidence.

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  4. Police radio is reporting 4520 Malden as the address of the "crime scene"

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  5. There was some activity in the alley between Beacon and Malden just north of Sunnyside mall. The majority of the presence was on the east end of Sunnyside mall.

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  6. The police are investigating at Montrose and Magnolia. My neighbor told me that the shooting occurred by the Subway on Wilson; the victim managed to drive down Magnolia nearly to Montose where the vehicle (Ford van suspected of being used in several shootings) still is. Forensics unit is looking over the scene. I think the dead man is still in the vehicle.

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  7. Way to go CPD!!

    I sure hope the deceased and injured were gang members. Good riddance to them all for having such lack of care for their fellow human beings.

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  8. If you need a permit for a gun and a license to drive a car, then you SHOULD BE REQUIRED to have a parenting permit and certain number of 'behind the wheel' childcare experience before being issued a license to parent. Why is the most important part of life the only unregulated part left in our lives? We need better parents. And we need more people to make smart decisions and not procreate in the first place.

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  9. Police scanner says the crime scene is 4520 N Malden.

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  10. thanks Rob for the details. hopefully they nab the van too.

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  11. Way to go 023 Police ! Massive high fives all the way around !

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  12. I hope I win the Mega Millions tonight so I can move out of here or buy bullet proof vests for my building. Glad the cops caught someone!

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  13. Any word from the alderman's office?

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  14. I wish they would rip out the "mall" area of Sunnyside and turn it back into a regular street. Seems to me the mall just gives gangbangers a place to hang out.

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  15. those sort of blocks in streets are supposed to deter drive bys and speeders...

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  16. I think the sad part of all the posts attached to this article is that no one is surprised. I'm not either. Weiss needs the axe. I now sleep with a loaded gun in my nightstand.

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  17. Totally agree with you Jason. I've been saying that for years.

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  18. Larry, is your gun registered?

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  19. What a way to welcome in the first week of 2011. Nothing new for Uptown and I wonder how many more shootings and deaths we will be seeing and reading about before years end.

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  20. Wasn't this the building that had the fire on the second floor a year or two ago? It's just north of the Sunnyside Mall on Malden.

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  21. Will fire was on the odd side of the street this is the even side but I think right across the street.

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  22. Crunched the numbers today. Uptown saw 4 homicides in 2010, up from 1 in 2009 and 3 in 2008.

    The community area hasn't seen a winter homicide in the last three years.

    http://homicides.redeyechicago.com/neighborhood/uptown/

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  23. Has anyone else noticed bangers hanging out at the Subway in the Wilson/Magnolia mall? They've been inside when I walked by the last several nights after work.

    Do you think the police camera caught anything?

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  24. I am very much looking forward to when Truman College reopens their Racine Ave mall corridor so I don't have to walk down that stretch of Magnolia again.

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  25. I walked home and talked to the cops loading stuff in the paddy wagon in front of 4520 North Malden. He said the incident was on Magnolia. When I mentioned the bangers have been hanging out in front of 4520 Malden and had a place there, he said "well they won't be bothering you for a while."

    Thanks to the CPD, but sorry it took a murder to get these chumps cleaned out.

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  26. What ever happened to getting a security guard for Wilson-Magnolia mall?

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  27. I've said it before, I felt safer 20 years ago when I bought a condo on Malden. Pardon me, while I go check the 46th Ward site for a response to the latest mayhem in the ward.....

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  28. Just to add.....when I was witness to the Halloween 'Magnolia & Montrose' shoot out, I felt numb resignation, versus fear, which was strange.

    There are SO many decent people, and children here in Uptown, I just wish the gang bangers would take their war straight to hell, where they belong.

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  29. Starck - agreed. We're definitely in this together. A new alderman will help. It's definitely possible to clean up our hood.

    This shooter lived RIGHT THERE on Magnolia?! This is weird. Usually the shooters shoot in opposing territory. Well, this should lead to an eviction at least.

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  30. Security guard for the sunnyside mall area? Would that be Kate's Detective Agency? I was never quite sure who hired them, what their purpose was, etc.

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  31. I took the picture facing south on Magnolia across from Broncho Billy Park. The van where the person died was in front of the ambulance pictured. The second victim was shot in the hand and refused treatment. He was very emotional and screaming that the shooters didn't even know who they were shooting at and that he and the victim were innocent. The police told me that the shooting happened by Subway and the van drove down Magnolia where it eventually stopped. Undercovers witnessed the shooting and arrested the shooter. Did anyone here more news at the CAPS meeting tonight?

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  32. Its crazy how people can come up with a single solution like change the alderman and expect it to work. An alderman can only do so much. There are multiple factors that are responsible for these low life gangbangers doing what they do. Don't expect them to wipe each other out because it won't happen anytime soon. Either do one of two things move out or fix the problem. I have already seen that most of you have moved out, so what does that say about your loyalty to your neighborhood?

    In the words of our former president dont ask hat your country can do for you, ask what you can do for it.

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  33. I have already seen that most of you have moved out

    Most of who now, champ?

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  34. @CTA second amendment says i have the right to bear arms, but fails to mention that i have to register. am i supposed to register my gun if i don't want it traced back to me for being the uptown vigilante?

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  35. I just moved into the neighborhood on Dec 14th. Hope we did not make a mistake! Sunnyside Mall makes it difficult for police to patrol on a regular basis. If I know this I wonder who else does?

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  36. Larry, the second amendment says that we have the right to a well regulated militia to ensure the safety and security of our free state. Thanks, but Ill leave that to the police and army. You don't need a gun.

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  37. Sunnyside mall is NOT the problem people!!! From a tactical stand. It is not the reason police presence is low, that is a manpower issue. The mall brings way more positives than negatives. Their is much more positive loitering than just plan loitering. Yes it is a shame that some can sit on a bench 10 feet away from a garbage can and not find the energy or the will to ever learn how to use one. Outside of that the mall is a great addition.

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  38. Uptown Pitts. If Sunnyside mall is not the problem, it certainly does not seem to be the solution

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  39. ChiTownPhilly said...
    Larry, the second amendment says that we have the right to a well regulated militia to ensure the safety and security of our free state. Thanks, but Ill leave that to the police and army. "You don't need a gun."

    January 5, 2011 9:52 AM
    The Supreme Court says otherwise.
    Dont tell people what they need.
    Its an individual decision.

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  40. @quietlyconscious -- there are still gates all over the place, but I believe that sidewalk at Racine is now open.

    @ Erica -- Kate's has been hired by the CHA buildings in the area; they are not there to patrol the Mall, per se.

    @havingfun -- Welcome to the neighborhood! Uptown is truly an amazing place, filled with tremendous history and diversity and has some great spots to eat, drink and catch music. Unfortunately, trouble has come as part of that package for many years. Violence seems to be up over the past couple years though as gangs have reasserted themselves. There are no easy answers to the violence, but coming together as a community and working with the police and alderman is a key ingredient to making a positive impact. Regarding sunnyside mall -- if that was gone, they'd move to Broncho Billy, if that playground was gone they'd move to the Wilson/Magolia strip mall, etc. The police do patrol the Mall (you'll see their squad cars driving up and down occasionally). But, the answer isn't just in more patrols (although that would help); there are some real, deep systemic issues that would be difficult to whisk away overnight. I encourage you to check out and get involved in the the Graceland Wilson block club here:

    http://gwna.wordpress.com/
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=135394579827029

    @all -- If you're within the boundaries, the still-being-raised-from-the-dead-GWNA block club could really use some bodies to help fill out a leadership team for this spring. I'd strongly encourage funnelling your concern into something like this if you can. Thanks.

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  41. I agree that the Sunnyside Mall has outlived its usefulness. It really should become a regular street again. It seems to be a place where pathologically criminal individuals congregate. It's supposed to be pedestrian area, so it's kind of scary when one of these gangbangers drive through there anyway just like the CPD. They don't always drive through slowly either. I'd like hear each candidate's position on the Sunnyside Mall.

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  42. At the CAPS meeting last night one of the patrol officers (that has lived in Uptown for 30 years) stated that part of Sunnyside was converted into a mall to reduce crime. Something about not allowing cars access to go east / west would help. He stated crime was way worse back then so that measure was taken. As ironic as it may seem today, I think turning it back into a road would not help.

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  43. Larry said "second amendment says i have the right to bear arms, but fails to mention that I have to register". Haha, what grade are we in? The City of Chicago says you HAVE to register, so the second amendment has nothing to do with it. If you have unregistered gun in your house then your just as big of a problem as the useless thugs on the streets.
    As for PepperSprayCommando, you tell me not to tell people what to do (you don't need a gun)? Its an individual decision? Ok, well then stop telling the thugs where they should or shouldn't hangout or who they should and shouldn't beat or kill. If some schmuck wants to keep a loaded gun IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD (unregistered) you better believe I have an opinion about it, a valid one. Stop acting like the answer to violence is violence. How stupid is that? Gangbangers in Uptown aren't doing home invasions and gangrapes, Im pretty sure you are safe in your own apartment. No handgun necessary.

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  44. For those defending the Sunnyside "Mall" (and this thread probably wasn't the best place to start this conversation, but...), why is it that this area seems to be the epicenter of a lot the crime/drug deals/shootings in Uptown? I'm sure it doesn't help that there is a concentration of a certain type of housing there (another story), but it's also a huge living room for gangbangers to hang out and open air drug deal and mark their turf. I know this is not the exact spot of the shooting yesterday, but for God's sake walk by there some evening (in the warmer months) and the drug dealing is rampant.

    I tend to think if Leland were closed off like Sunnyside is, we would see the same type of crap north of Wilson. Thankfully it is not. If you want to deter traffic one way or another, put in speed bumps, make the street one-way, or put in planters at each intersection as they successfully did in Andersonville.

    Thank you to all of you who tend to the gardens in the mall - they are beautiful, but closing a street off like this is a failed 70's experiement.

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  45. Here is a look into the "good old days" of Sunnyside and Magnolia. This is part of what closed Sunnyside off.

    http://www.gaylords712.com/sungln.html

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  46. ChiTown Philly said:"Gangbangers in Uptown aren't doing home invasions and gangrapes, Im pretty sure you are safe in your own apartment. No handgun necessary."

    January 5, 2011 3:22 PM

    Thats a load of bull chips. Many home invasions in the Police Districts 019 and 023. These people are ARMED. Your life means NOTHING to them. Your golf club/softball bat is not going to repel this type of attack. By way of locking doors, vigilance and a pair of pocket pistols, I have not suffered such an attack and likey never will in this lifetime. I lived here through the 90s by virtue of said pistols. This area was 10 times as bad as what we are seeing now. Case closed.

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  47. If you have unregistered gun in your house then your just as big of a problem as the useless thugs on the streets.

    Imagine if the thugs left their weapons at home, too.

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  48. Regarding the 'Sunnyside Mall'.....living on Malden just south of it, I for one appreciate the lack of speeding cars.
    It seems like most of the deadly activity is not on the mall itself, but rather 'near' it.

    It's a rather peaceful and well kept stretch.....especially in the summer.
    So I wouldn't want to see it go.

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  49. A reasonable way to deal with Sunnyside mall is to setup multiple cameras aiming at the most troubled spots and broadcast live video feeds so everyone can see it on the Internet. It may not make the criminals become good persons but it discourages them from transacting illegal activities at sunnyside mall and hope they move out of our Ward entirely.

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  50. Pepperspraycommando - I doubt your pistols are what kept you safe from home invasion. It was most likely how unaccessible your home appeared to be from the street. Unless you stood at your window with your pistol belt on. :-)

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  51. PepperSprayCommando, can you please cite some specific examples of home invasions or rapes in Uptown? Furthermore, can you cite specific examples of an instance (IN UPTOWN) that a victim of a crime was saved/or fended off attackers/home invaders with a handgun?

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  52. ChiTownPhilly,

    How your neighbors, who are NOT criminals choose to protect themselves is none of your business. They are executing their Constitutional right to protect themselves and their property. The Constitution still trumps King Daley and his completely ineffective hand gun ban. So says the Supreme Court who recently dropped the hammer that Chicago's gun ban was unconstitutional.

    While not Uptown, I do remember an excellent example where a gun proved the difference between life and death for a man and his wife. A burglar had broken into a man's home in Wilmette. Stole his car keys and garage door opener. The man called the police, and reported everything, and asked for protection because while he planned on changing the locks and the code to the garage door, it wasn't likely he could get that done in less than 24 hours, and he knew the criminal would come back. He was basically told by the cops there was nothing they could do, they don't have the manpower to station someone outside his house until he could get his locks changed.

    Well, of course, the next night, the thug came back, and let himself in. The owner of the house had a gun. His wife called 911... the thug confronted the homeowners. The man shot the thug dead. Something that he is legally allowed to do per the Constitution of the United States of America.

    Well, Wilmette also had the useless gun ban. And the city wasted precious time and tax dollars considering prosecuting this man for owning an "illegal" hand gun that protected his wife and himself from likely death. The cops couldn't help them, they wouldn't of gotten there in time, what do you suggest he was to do? Just beg and plead and hope the thug had a heart?

    Thanks to public outcry, the city didn't prosecute this homeowner, nor should they have.

    Gun bans DON'T WORK. PERIOD. All they do is take guns away from law abiding citizens. Thugs will ALWAYS find guns. Do you know what gun bans do? The exact same thing the "war on drugs" did. INCREASE the value of guns, which makes it more LUCRATIVE for thugs to deal guns/drugs, so they keep doing it!

    London had a gun ban for a long time. Did the crime rate go down? Nope, the incidents of people being stabbed dramatically increased. Wow, big shocker.

    I moved to a state that allows conceal carry. With your logic, it would be the O.K. Corral here, and I wouldn't be able to leave my house without Kevlar because everyone would be running around and shooting like Yosemite Sam. By your logic, Chicago's murder rate should of plummeted with King Daley's gun ban. Big surprise, Chicago still has one of the highest murder rates. Must make Mayor McCheese feel good, but of course, he can afford to feel good when he has ARMED SECURITY that follows him around 24/7.

    Gun ban? About as effective as putting a bandaid on a spurting stump.

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