Friday, July 6, 2012

Shooting On Malden This Evening

We are hearing multiple reports of a person being shot on the 4600 block of Malden.
An eyewitness writes: "At about 5:35, I heard three loud bangs. We live near the Gooseberry Playlot (4648 N Malden). I went outside to the alley between Malden and Beacon and saw a man lying down in front of the Section 8 housing just to the north of the lot. Police and ambulances were on the scene within 4 minutes of the gunfire. The person was moving but had been shot at least once in the stomach."
Another person reports that the victim was still talking as he was taken away in the ambulance.

We will provide any updates we receive.

Update:  A reader reports that "Just wanted to contribute that I spoke with the officer just recently and he stated that a single man was shot (in the walk-through area between alley and Malden -- so not actually on Malden) and is in the hospital and the wound was non-life-threatening. There was a total of three shots and the area is still yellow-taped."

Update:  Ald. Cappleman just tweeted: "Another shooting at the 4600 block of N Malden. Man shot in groin and in stable condition. Appears gang-related. Stepped up police presence."

Update:  The Tribune says, "A 21-year-old man was shot in the groin in the 4600 block of North Malden Street in the Sheridan Park neighborhood about 5:30 p.m., Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Daniel O’Brien said. He was treated for his wound at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and later released, police said, but police weren’t able to say why the man was shot."

42 comments:

  1. This was bound to happen. When I said there have been shots at that intersection I wasn't bullshitting. Yes we have an issue ok.

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  2. Hmm, I seem to remember someone being concerned about "activity" at exactly that location a while back, and a certain someone else saying that it was completely safe.

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    1. Hmmmm, I seem to not know exactly what you are thinking about.
      Shit is about to hit the fan in Sheridan Park. I posted up a bit of info on Everyblock recently, only so much shout one way down the well. That is how it goes sorry.

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  3. It's really remarkable how quickly life goes back to normal after someone's been shot at the corner of Malden & Leland. There are people hanging out in that very yard acting like nothing happened. There's a teenager or young adult male hanging out in Gooseberry Park with seemingly nothing to do. That building has seen so many emergency vehicles and police cars in the last few weeks, not to mention shootings, and it's next to a children's park. How's that for some brilliant urban planning? Perhaps it's time the City of Chicago recognize that its scattered housing experiment in Uptown is a complete failure and it's time to shut it down!

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  4. Live on the block and can say police presence was nonexistent an hours later and as of 10pm the corner is occupied by tattooed young men representing thier gang. The police and alderman continue to let the residents down, 4650 has been an open air drug market for 6 months with unit C being the pharmacy despite constant calls to authorities.

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  5. Bravo minpin! I thought I was the only one smelling the marijuana and recognizing the usual suspects conducting business with furtive glances and frequent exchanges. Then they drive to the grocery story in their SUV's with a LINK card in hand. It's a mockery.

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  6. I'm confused. Really confused. So someone says that they are aware of an open air drug market for the past six months and they are commenting about it now, after someone has been shot? They even think they know which unit? Did you think to bring it up (privately or publicly) at a CAPS meeting?

    I

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  7. @revivalist & minpin: I just moved in across the street from Gooseberry Park just a couple months ago and I was starting to notice some possible drug activity as well, but I wasn't sure my "hunch" was enough to call police. glad to hear someone did, sad to hear reporting it didn't do much tho :/

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  8. If the city would spend the same amount of money that it takes to call on fire trucks, firemen, police cars, police officers, ambulances, EMTs for these situations on social workers and community educators to set up shop in some of these low income housing buildings so that not only adults, but their kids have someone regulary helping by guiding them up the ladder from social assistance and living in ghettos to standing on one's own feet and taking pride in cultivating ones life, family, and community.

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  9. What does him being single have to do with anything?

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  10. At the June CAPS meeting I brought up this very issue. I had already provided written documentation of the activity to the Alderman's offie: descriptions of the main players, a swell as which unit was being used for the activity. Following The meeting I forwarded that documentation to Officer Walsh, our CPD CAPS liason, who was going to provide the info to the tactical team.

    The CPD has there hands tied with some of this because they have to work within the limits of the law.

    My recommendation is for the Alderman's office to organize an active positive loitering program for Gooseberry Park. Are there enough concerned neighbors who would be willing to provide coverage during the peak hours every evening? I suspect that if we could do this for one month it would make a world of difference. These thugs do not want to be under the watchful eye of concerned citizens.

    In the short term we are not going to solve Chicago's gang problem. The best we can hope for is to push the activity elsewhere. Before I get blasted about that comment, I am not saying that you should not continue to seek solutions to the gang problem, please continue to do so. I am just tying to do what we can to protect our families, right now.

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  11. MinPin.. Let us place blame correctly. SHILLER created this Frankenstein by overloading Uptown with Section 8 housing, coddling gang bangers and alienating the police for OVER 20 years! Shiller, and her idiot followers, are to blame here, NOT the new alderman and police.

    When the new Alderman came in, he had a pile of horsesh....t 10 miles high and 10 miles wide to start digging through...he has been in office a little more than a year. He had, frankly, done more to both fight crime and help its victims than anyone had a right to expect. He is not Superman and does not carry a gun. Please keep that in mind. Also keep in mind, the Mayor of Chicago is also culpable for this crap.

    Whereas I understand your frustration, please make sure it is placed properly. On that note, do you or the neighbors that know about this house and its problems, or any other in your area, bother to go to CAPS meetings? I bet not. That would be the perfect place to start channeling your well deserved disappointment.

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    1. I've called the alderman a couple of times without reply, we used to attend caps meeting but as active residence we were fingered by active gang members who had "staff" attended caps meetings. After being confronted by gang members while walking our dog about info we shared at a caps meeting we have stopped attending as it appears the gangs use info from caps meeting more effectively than the police.

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  12. I think Malden13 has the right idea. Maybe some constant pressure of positive loitering by concerned residents would disrupt these nefarious activities. But then what happens when the PL stops?

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  13. @ Malden13

    An excellent comment. I was thinking the same thing about organizing a PL type events here. I live on Malden too, we can do it ourselves. I'll be willing to rally Mercy Hsg. residents as best I can.
    The Alderman will support it, and if his schedule allows likely join us. He was at the PL last night at Sheridan and Lawrence.
    The sooner the better
    , the more effective...let's do it!

    The term "positive loitering" ironically has negative connotations among some in the community. This is not my view alone, in fact Ald. James has said the same thing. I don't prescribe to this negative view but there it is.

    Another way perhaps....

    Mercy Hsg. Tenant Ldrsp. sponsors a "Neighborhood Night" at Goudy School playlot. It is for all intents and purposes the same intention, bringing neighbors together. We have had in the past food donated fron Einstein Bagels and or friends at the delicious Ba Le.

    Please feel free to contact me directly Malden13 or anyoneelse who would like to discuss this. Iill bring it up with the Aldermans staff for their input on getting started.

    Thanks!

    @ Superhero

    Chill out dude.

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  14. We saw and heard most of every thing that happened first hand.
    The only thing we did not see was the shooter. Not sure if they where in a car or on foot. Me and my neighbor had put a kiddie pool in our back yard. We had about seven kids playing in the back yard at the time of the shots. I live directly across from the section eight building and could see everything through my fence in my back yard looking at the park. When the shooting happened I knew right away that it was not fire crackers. A man was running to the section eight building someone was chasing him. As he was running to the building another man ran out from the section eight building to meet the man who was being chased. The one being chased ran behind the other man and the other man took the bullets for him. He got shot in the leg and in the stomach or side. I heard the man say he had been shot. We asked him through our fence if he was ok.
    They said no so we called an ambulance and the police. They man that was shot laid there until the police came. We feel really lucky that none of the kids got hurt. We where in the line of fire of where the shots where fired. I can't believe how close this happened to us. I also can't believe how calm everyone was. Even the guy who got shot was really calm. I would of been freaking out.
    For the last eight months I have noticed a lot of kids hanging around every since someone new has moved into the section eight building. The kids hanging out and the man who got shot don't even live around here.

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  15. The section eight buildings have cameras on every corner of the building. Do they actually work? Look for yourself they are very noticeable.

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  16. Calling 911 is about the only way it seems to fight crime today unless you take the law in your own hands to rid your block of these punks. In the old days you could do it but today the law protects these punks. Here are a few other numbers to call other then 911 and see about their responces. They are there with a live officer all the time...
    Anti-Gun Enforcement
    Telephone:
    (877) CPD-GUNS
    Bomb & Arson Hotline
    Telephone:
    (773) 533-FIRE
    Drug Hotline
    Telephone:
    (800) CRACK44
    TTY:
    (312) 747-3673

    Gang Hotline
    Telephone:
    (312) 746-GANG
    TTY:
    (312) 746-4276

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  17. UR, call 911 for a one-time issue.

    Call 911 AND go to CAPS for an issue that's chronic.

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  18. I said previously, maybe it's time we bring back that CHA midnight basketball program that reduced shootings. It's time we think "outside the box".
    Chicago is getting national attention for our crime problem. Maybe the National Guard is needed??

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  19. The City needs money and the scattered public housing in Uptown have been the sites of the vast majority of the problems I have seen and read about since I moved here four years ago.

    As those buildings near the end of their useful lives, a perfectly acceptable solution is to tear them down and allow market forces to prevail. We all should have safe housing and take care of each other, but these crime/drug ridden buildings burried deep on the sidestreets arn't working. 20+ years later, our community is continually dealing with the consequences of decisions that probably made sense at one time, but no longer make sense in 2012.

    Literally, I watch the cops drive around from one CHA site to another all afternoon and night. They have to be exhausted, just like the good people of the neighborhood who try really hard to improve the quality of life here.

    It's time to have the courage to take action and fix something that hasn't worked for our community. I know its out of my control...

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  20. I'm guessing there's another Operation Sugar Magnolia going on.

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  21. The various initiatives show that our kind neighbors' hearts are in the right place, but the best solution for the vast majority of residents is that the building be demolished and Gooseberry Park be expanded in memoriam to those seriously injured or killed because of the bad choices made by Shiller (Super hero is right).

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  22. I am sick of Ceasefire and Chicago's social service agencies failing to do anything about what causes this nonsense.
    If anything there seems to be more troublemakers and derelicts and the like than ever.
    I think we should all demand better, considering our tax dollars are paying for their futile efforts.

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  23. Talking politics is well and good. Unproductive but what are ya gonna do?

    A friend of mine owns a pizzaria and has pledged a football pizza for the first Neighborhood Night, i'm sure if it works out we can keep the pies coming for future events. He owes me big for that mural I painted in the beer garden.

    For my neighbors in the proximity I'll post up future info on the fb page of MM and Beacon block clubs as well as EveryBlock.

    The first date is to TBD, sooner the better. I would like to discuss this with the rest of Mercy Tenant Ldrshp and the Aldermans office as well as any concerned neighbors in this proximity.

    The 2nd date should be the 1st Tuesday of the month from 5:30 to6:30, after that we can go to Truman together for the CAPS meeting at 7pm.

    The issue I refered to in my 1st comment is very possibly related but has not been discussed here, we have a lot to share. At the end of the day that is what Neighborhood Night is all about, sharing ideas, observations and info. Its about making the good people of the neighborhood come together. It is about letting the bad element know they are being noticed, that we care. At this point they don't think anything of us...we are "neutrons".

    But we have kids all over and seniors, we don't need this crap.

    So please stay tuned for details, if it is just a one off thing and just me some friends and a pizza that is fine but will not make a difference. We have to do better then the Positive Loitering like last night which totaled I think 7 people including me, Ald. James and Richard. To make an impact we must stick together and participate....unify.

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  24. Thanks Wiseguy for the good info. I'd give just about anything to deal with things like in the old days, the Police alone can't handle the banger mess that exists these days, it's a shame..

    Nearly every day on my way home from work I see the GD's camped out at Lawrence/Sheridan conducting their "business". Makes me sick to have NO power to deal with it.

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  25. Stash nailed it and it's time for the Alderman to take a step beyond simply acknowledging there's a problem (duh) and start talking about the real, tough solutions we all know need to happen...for crying our loud, the violent gang and over flowing addict population is obvious...as much as I appreciate him no longer pretending the problem doesn't exist...it's time to raise the bar a little from the Helen years.

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  26. Which pizzeria Littleton? just wondering, would like to see your mural and what you say makes alot of sense, people do have to band together to collaborate and work togther to cancel out and overcome the negativity....

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  27. I see Helen Shiller is being brought up several times here.

    Since Helen has retired and is off the stage would it be ok to have a frank discussion about what a Chicago Alderman can and cannot do?

    No? Fair enough, forget I mentioned it.

    It is pitiful in my view to see Alderman James inheriting the Super Big Gulp Over-Sized impression of Aldermanic Power....so to speak.

    The irony is.....I didn't even vote for him, in fact I openly campaigned against James.... and here I am defending him on UU to his supporters. Life is strange but what else is new? Sometimes it is about swallowing your pride long enough to see the good in people you may have disagreed with in the past.

    As a community we need to explore strategies in "community policing" that will COMPLIMENT the work of the police and the Alderman.

    Commenting on a blog that the Alderman isn't being tough enough is not a strategy, it is a rant.

    And by community policing I am not refering to a Wise Guy (seen too many movies) thing that would lead to a Zimmerman-type incident.

    There are strategies beyond what has been attempted thus far that will make our neighborhood stronger and less divided. If you live here in the vicinity of this incident show you care and be there for Neighborhood Night. If your schedule is too tight that's cool, just spread the word to your neighbors when we have a date. Thanks.

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  28. @ Jeffo

    I am going to keep the pizzeria confidential, the pizza is a personal favor to me we are old friends it is on the NW side Ald. Mell's ward.

    The mural is at his other establishment the Polk Street Pub.

    There are photos on my website uptownarts.blogspot.com

    I really need to take better photos.

    Its close to the Fire Dept. Acadamy so I painted in their facility the "Survive Alive House". Popular with fireman on occasion their bagpipe band stops by after practice, good people. Blues band every Sunday...good times. If you crawl out of the shadows I'll buy ya a beer..I gotta big gift card.

    Speaking of murals I just got an emai...final approval for one in Truman Square. I'm ready to roll on it like yesterday. I will post it up on EveryBlock since UU doesn't communicate with yours truly and couldn't care less about me and my murals.

    Also going to be a resident artist at the new Uptown Arts Center.....ya see Jeffo...us lowly-income folks ain't so bad eh?

    I miss arguing with you about stuff, where ya been?

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  29. Maybe we can organize and pressure the local bodegas to stop selling those XXL White T-shirts?? They all wear them to make it harder to identify them.

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  30. @killerminpin

    Quite shocking to hear about that gang intimidation, but I have learned that giving into gang intimidation doesnt help, thats the only real weapon they have against normal citizens is to try to cause you to fear them. And yes you should keep your distance but to give into intimidation only causes more danger ultimately, because we sure arent safer with them around.

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  31. I've been to a lot of CAPS meetings and have also gone out and told gang members to get off of MY block. No intimidation or any other things in response. If you stop living your life and give in then the gangs have already beaten you.

    Also, I have e-mailed the alderman more than 20 times and have received a response every single time. You may want to throw out an email or even stop by. I believe that they removed the baseball bats wielded by Shiller staffers.

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  32. Hi, just started reading the blog. Thanks for all of the insight into what's going on in our neighborhood. Also, keep the suggestions coming...

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  33. The dreadlocked tall brother (Can't remember the name) is selling and controlling the 2 buildings there. He has been around there recently with younger individuals so I am assuming they are new recruits. I saw him go after another dealer the other day for being on his "Turf".

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  34. green older Jeep Cherokee dealing around Clifton/Racine 4400 block. 2 women and a young man right next to me while I'm getting my babies out of my car. Dealing to a building that has solar panels on its ROOF!!! Section 8 gangbangers living in nicer buildings than ours because they brought down our value and we can't even MOVE. I hate them!!! We need cameras on them and security guards in the alley.

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  35. Tmama, hopefully you have done the following but if not do this. Get the place and call 911 to report the vehicle. Tell the operator you saw drugs going in/out of the vehicle with money. That is sufficient probable cause to stop the vehicle. Also, contact the TAC unit supervisor at the 19th.

    That will do a lot better than waiting for cameras to be installed.

    Take the power back.

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  36. What some of you don't realize is that many of us have tried for years to network with our neighbors of all socio-economic stripes, we've called 911 more times than some of you call your mothers, we've tried to work with problem building managers, we've tried increasing our presence facing streets AND alleys, we've tried working through CAPS, we've tried working through our neighborhood organizations with the Alderman's office, we've tried to encourage surveillance cameras, and we've tried to encourage eviction of problem Section 8 tenants. Some of the eviction proceedings have been going on for EIGHT-PLUS YEARS, our requests for help from the alderman have gotten replies like "You have to do things yourself," or have been ignored; our work with CAPS goes nowhere because the facilitator insults us behind our backs for calling 911 "too much" or insults us to our faces during meetings--I no longer go. We've asked for help from a major institution, which won't monitor more than a block of their street frontage because they have "security cameras", yet the security cameras aren't used for anything unless the CPD asks for fuzzy footage to attempt to I.D. people in murders. Neighbors in Section 8 buildings who DO try doing the right thing get targeted by criminal elements because their management passes info to them. One of the recent shooting victims started a fight on the street last year--the instigator is still in the building while the other girl's family was evicted for trying to defend themselves, and our witnessing the fight--and asking to file complaints against the instigator--were ignored by the CPD. No good deeds shall go unpunished.

    And forget about "positive loitering". The alderman's office does not organize them--YOU do. And if you try to do it in a particular location for good reason, it gets shifted someplace away from the location.

    americanlt, don't be a joke about the "bodega" comment--white t-shirts are not gonna be outlawed for sale, and if they aren't available in Uptown, they'll buy them elsewhere. Look at how well the "no spray paint sales" ordinance works--it can't be sold inside Chicago, but has that done anything about the grafitti problem? Yeah, right.

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  37. It sounds like, after everything is said and done, expanding Gooseberry Park is the best solution for the vast majority of residents. There is no reason for the rest of us to invest our time or efforts, or risk our safety and well-being to maintain an unsustainable housing program that imposes violence and crime on the rest of us. For those who want to contribute their time and efforts towards helping challenged communities with positive loitering, CAPs meetings, etc, there are some great programs out there which would greatly appreciate volunteers. Many of us have spent 20 years in Uptown accommodating and mitigating. Enough is enough.

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  38. No positive loitering in Sheridan Park!

    That always was a stupid term and always will be.

    We nees to create a presence there in several different ways and I look forward to meeting with fellow residents who haven't given up.

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  39. I'm dumbfounded... Was just out with my dog on Malden 1:04pm,across from gooseberry playlot when a gold jeep liberty pulled up in front of 4650 Malden, two "ladies" in front,driver wearing a blond wig and other "lady" seat was so far reclined you couldn't see her. In back is a young man. Indiana plates SEC109. Man gets out wearing tan shorts with black and white checkered boxers(shorts around his knees) a white sleeveless tee and black baseball cap on an angle. He went into one of the units on the northside middle of 4650,while jeep waited.
    Less than 4 min later he comes sound the side of 4650 with a HANDGUN clearly sticking out of his boxers, the grip was out to the point that the trigger loop was showing!! But wait as he's standing there yelling to the female driver "we gonna take care of this shit" a brown/gold unmarked car turns onto malden from leland,plate number 7741with two white cops in front older gray hair passenger officer and young driver with black baseball cap.
    The guy with the gun is standing there clearly with this gun sticking out as the unmarked car slowly goes by... They don't stop??? They were 10-15ft from this guy and I'm across the street and can see the gun!!! Sure he stopped yelling but didn't make any attempt to hide the gun as the cops slowly drive by. As the unmarked travels down Malden towards Wilson the gun toting kids tells the "ladies" to " get da fuck outa here" and he trots back to the unit he came out of.
    . What can be done? Again I'm being redundant but the GUN was obvious friom across the street and the officers just drove by and have not returned.

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