Two teenagers, a 15-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, were shot Thursday afternoon in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side.
Someone walked up to the teens and opened fire about 4:45 p.m. in the first block of West Marquette Road, Chicago Police said. The shooter then ran away.
After the teens were shot, anti-violence activist Andrew Holmes was at the crime scene, talking to folks who gathered near Marquette and the Dan Ryan Expy. Holmes was working the crowd for tips that could help to solve the case.
At the time, he didn’t know that the boy, who was shot twice in the chest, was his nephew, Marquis Stewart, Holmes told reporters outside Stroger Hospital. Police said the boy was in critical condition. Holmes said his nephew was expected to survive.
“Am I crying and bleeding? Yeah. Am I upset? Yeah, I am totally upset. But I don’t get [any more] upset than if it wasn’t a relative of mine,” Holmes said, fighting back tears. “Even though it deeply hurts, as he’s fighting for his life up there. Hopefully, as we pray, he’ll be all right.”
The girl, who was shot in the arm and shoulder, was taken to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital, where her condition was stable, police said.
Holmes said his nephew and the girl were walking to McDonald’s when they were shot. He said preliminary information he has received about the shooting suggests it stemmed from a dispute at Dunbar Career Academy High School, which his nephew attends. Holmes said the girl also is a Dunbar student.
Earlier Thursday, a group of students got into an altercation at Dunbar, 3000 S. King Dr., authorities said.
A fire alarm was activated, and the students were evacuated, authorities said. After the fake alarm, a group of students got in a fight and Chicago Police were called to the scene.
“Today’s incident at Dunbar Career Academy High School was resolved thanks to swift action by school staff, CPD and CPS,” a CPS spokesman said in a statement. “The education and safety of our students are our top priorities, and CPS will provide Dunbar with additional support and security staff today and for the rest of the week to ensure a safe learning environment and dismissal for students.”
On Thursday night, Chicago Police could not provide additional details on the disturbance at the school.
Police said the boy was a gang member. But Holmes said that as far as he knew, his nephew was a good kid.
“My sister takes care of him,” Holmes said. “Sometimes he circulates fliers for me.
“I speak with him about gun violence. I speak with him about violence, but you know, at the time you can say what you want to say to an individual, whether it’s a relative or not, but do they get it up here,” Holmes said, pointing to his head.
He urged anyone with knowledge of the shooting to call Chicago Police. He also said people could call his anonymous crime tip line at (800) 883-5587.
