Two dead, three wounded in shootings Wednesday on South, West sides

Two men were killed and at least three others were wounded in shootings Wednesday on the city’s South and West sides.

The most recent fatal shooting happened about 1:15 p.m. in the South Side Chatham neighborhood.

Joseph Gaithers, 35, was talking with another person in the 8000 block of South King Drive when the other person pulled out a gun and shot him in the head, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Gaithers, of the 6300 block of South Calumet, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 5:31 p.m., authorities said.

Early Wednesday, a man was shot to death in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side.

Officers found the 25-year-old man on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds in the 3200 block of West Huron about 2:10 a.m., police said.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His name has not been released by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The most recent non-fatal shooting happened about 9:40 p.m. in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

A 25-year-old was walking in the 1600 block of North McVicker when he was shot by someone in a red SUV that was in a nearby alley, police said.

He was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park with a gunshot wound to the upper part of his left leg.

Wednesday afternoon, a man was shot in the South Side Fuller Park neighborhood.

The 27-year-old man was shot in his leg and foot in the 300 block of West Garfield at 1:12 p.m., police said. He was taken in good condition to Saint Bernard Hospital.

A police source said the victim is a documented gang member.

Also Wednesday afternoon, a man was critically wounded in the Southwest Side Ashburn neighborhood.

The 21-year-old man was driving in the 7900 block of South Artesian at 12:24 p.m. when shots were fired at the vehicle, police said.

He was shot in the head, but continued driving until crashed into a parked vehicle in the 2400 block of West 80^th Street, police said. He was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.