High school hoops coach Shawn Harrington was taking his daughter to school Thursday morning when he slowed to a stop at a Humboldt Park traffic light, authorities said.
Moments later, two young men approached, unloading a barrage of gunfire into the passenger side.
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When the shooting was done, the two gunman had fled and Harrington , assistant basketball coach at Marshall-Metro High School, lay bleeding inside the car from multiple gunshot wounds.
But Harrington ’s daughter was safe. The 38-year-old coach — who also played for the 1991 Marshall team made famous in the documentary “Hoop Dreams” — sheltered her from the onslaught of bullets near Augusta and Hamlin around 7:45 a.m., according to police and other coaches on the team.
He remained in critical condition Thursday evening at Stroger Hospital — a victim of what one police source said was a likely case of mistaken identity.
“Two [bullets] went straight through and the third went into his spine while he was shielding his daughter,” said Marshall assistant coach Albert Sharp.
Police had not made an arrest as of Thursday night.
Police say Harrington was driving south on Hamlin when he stopped at the red light. Then, they say, the two gunman, who were hanging out at the intersection, approached.
Before opening fire, one of the two men walked up to Harrington ’s car and tapped on the window with a handgun, said Marshall varsity coach Henry Cotton, who had been texting with Harrington moments before the shooting.
“He was just letting me know that he was on his way,” Cotton said. “It was like every other morning. We were just talking like we always do.”
Contributing: George Slefo
