"Does anyone have any information regarding the activity at Agatite and Hazel today? There was a loud argument followed by gunfire at around 5 pm. I stepped outside a few minutes later to find neighbors gathering, a cell phone tossed in the grass, and money lying in the street. Someone on the street claimed that employees at a business on the street witnessed everything. The police reported that these individuals would not cooperate with any information. Unfortunate and sad."
And another account:
"Police have been on the scene for about an hour now. Sounded like a series of gun shots. A car is still abandoned in the intersection and the building in the photo has been taped off. Hope to get more info! Anyone know?"
Fisticuffs in the rain?
ReplyDeleteWe didn't notice any abandoned car in the street immediately after the shooting. There was a series of 5 or 6 shots that followed about 30 seconds of shouting.
ReplyDeleteThere was at least one person that had a decent look at the folks that is a neighbor who tried to give information to the police.
One thing we couldn't believe was that we called about the cell phone in the grass, pointed it out to the officer and he looked pissed at us for pointing it out. I understand there would have been chain of custody issues and it wouldn't really have been useful in a court, but it probably could have helped track down at least one of the people involved.
There's a joke in here somewhere about "Sister Hazel" being the headliner at the new Uptown Rib Fest. Just got home from work, though, so am not too creative.
ReplyDeleteI walked by around 6. The police on the scene said there was a gang shooting. When I asked if anyone way injured, they said yes, but nothing else. At that time there was no car abandoned in the intersection, and within 15 minutes, the crime scene tape was gone.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately a long time ago Helen Shiller decided that her political base was more important than anything else in this ward and people accepted it. Just ask a cop or a paramedic and they will tell you.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately for you Helen...the jig is up. Via con dios. We will see you (or Notworthy) on the other side.
Just getting home around 9:30 and there are about 10 cops, no exaggeration, on the corner of Sunnyside and Hazel doing "seatbelt checks." When asked, the officer said the checks were in response to the shooting earlier, to increase police presence in the area.
ReplyDeleteIt is "Vaya con dios". Sorry, couldn't help myself.
ReplyDeleteI am all for seatbelt checks, stops for j-walking, tickets for littering, and other hyper-enforcement of laws on the books to disrupt this nonsense. Again, if you ask me - we need to get back to the Broken Window theory, and sweating even the small stuff.
ReplyDeleteStories like this really sadden me. I used to live in Uptown many years ago. Although it has always had rough edges, it was never fertile breeding ground for gang activity and shootings.
ReplyDeleteI have said this before, and I don't mind saying it, again. The residents of Uptown need to sue CHA and anyone else who is involved with those scattered housing sites.
Folks, this is going to be one rough summer!
A few weeks ago, I watched a drive-by shooting with a birds-eye view out my windows at Wilson/Clarendon (never made this blog). Cops came right away after we called 911 but cops wanted nothing to do with my info regardless that I saw the event and where everyone went.
ReplyDeleteJust wait until one or two shoppers at the new Target get winged. Then you'll have some fancy police work.
ReplyDeleteSorry, to say, if its just gang on gang, the cops pretty much don't care.
Helen, do we have to wait for an innocent bystander to be hit before something is done?
I walked past around 6:45. The officer I spoke to said there were no injuries.
ReplyDelete(1) transported to Weiss hospital, shot in the arm. Shooter black male, all black clothing, dreadlocks. Police searching under parked cars for a weapon or spent casings on Hazel.
ReplyDeletePolice activity on Clarendon after the shooting.
I live on that corner and coincidently my car is parked there and pictured, guess I better check it for bullet holes when I get home from work today. I had not gotten home from work yet when this took place and knew nothing about it until I read this. I'm really sad that I live in a neighborhood where I have check for bulletholes.
ReplyDeleteSunnyside is full of gang members and many more incidents happen in this immediate area than people realize.
I agree, the police really don't care as much about these incidents because they are not going to go after and try to prosecute these gang members. I have been witness to problems and been confronted with the same reaction from the police, they really didn't need to hear what I saw. How will things get better if they are not pursuing all of the possible problematic people in the neighborhood?
This employee that witnessed it and wouldn't give information- that's just giving permission for the behavior to continue.I don't know where this person mentioned works but, has anyone else noticed that the store on the corner of Montrose/Hazel, Foodtown, sells 'gang uniforms' now? Why else would a corner store sell 2X 3X 4X 5X size white t-shirts. I was so disappointed to see that as I have frequented that store for years and always had great customer service from the owners. I realize they run a business and are just trying to make revenue but that is giving the wrong message in our neighborhood and since I saw them selling the shirts, I have stopped going to that store.
The residents are working hard to try and make a better place to live, I would think the business owners would want to do the same.
which business had the 'silent witnesses'?
ReplyDeleteI am unsure which business had the 'silent witnesses,' but there are only two possibilities. Food Town has been around for years and is on the corner of Montrose and Hazel, a block away from Agatite and Hazel, where the shooting took place. The other business is a fairly new hair salon, about half a block from the shooting. My guess is it's the latter.
ReplyDeleteI live in the area and just saw two gang-members having sex in the alley; in broad daylight. This is not something I wish to have seen the day after learning there was a shooting around where I live.
ReplyDeleteMake love, not war.
ReplyDeleteSwissie,
it could be worse.
I used to live on that block (6 years ago), and would often hear gunshots during daylight hours. I would always call police but rarely saw a response. I moved out after only one year. Sad that nothing has improved since then.
ReplyDeleteIrishPirate: Do we really have to choose? Shouldn't we be a more civilized neighborhood than that?
ReplyDeleteLook, I would gladly exchange sex in the streets for gunshots, but there is no reason we should stand for both. This is exactly the reason this area has endured the type of crime it has endured for years.
Frankly, I think you and the other people who agree with you should move away. If you want to deal with this type of situation in other areas, then so be it. Better you deal with them away from my home than I deal with it here next to me.
I live on this corner and was on my way in the door when this happened. The gunshots weren't very loud - it sounded like a cap gun or an air rifle, not a .357 or .44. I slid into the alley when I heard the gunshots, and as I came out to walk around the corner to go into my place, I heard someone say - did you get hit, and someone in a white t-shirt walking towards me say - Yeah! while he was holding his arm. I went right into my apartment after that - and heard a squad car come by around 2 minutes later.
ReplyDelete