A 21-year-old special needs man was shot and critically wounded while waiting for a bus with two family members in the 4700 block of South Wolcott Avenue.
Sun-Times file
A man with disabilities was shot and critically wounded Wednesday morning as he and members of his family waited for a bus outside their home in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, according to the local alderperson.
The man, 21, was standing in the 4700 block of South Wolcott Avenue with two other people about 6:40 a.m. when three people walked up, “started yelling” and opened fire, according to Chicago police.
The man was struck in his head and rushed to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th) told the Sun-Times the attack was carried out by a group of suspected gang members who approached the man, his father and his brother as they waited at a bus stop.
The man, who is nonverbal, didn’t respond when the suspects shouted gang slogans at the family, apparently prompting them to open fire, Lopez said.
“I’m sick of generational gang life constantly impacting innocent people just trying to go about their business,” he said. “Because gangbangers felt it was their right to confront people they don’t recognize and shoot at them with impunity, this young man is now fighting for his life, and his family’s forever going to be shaken by this.
“The community needs to step up. People need to say enough,” he said. “And they need to come forward, not only to bring the shooters to justice, but to put an end to this nonsense in our neighborhoods.”
Police said the suspects ran north from the scene, and no arrests have been reported.
