Police: 2 dead, 6 wounded in shootings Tuesday

Two men were killed and at least six others were wounded in an 11-hour spate of gun violence Tuesday on the South and West sides.

An employee was fatally shot while trying to stop a shoplifter at an Auburn Gresham neighborhood store Tuesday evening on the South Side.

The 30-year-old man was working about 5 p.m. at the store in the 7900 block of South Ashland when he saw someone inside stealing items, according to Chicago Police.

When confronted, the shoplifter pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting the worker in the chest, police said.

He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he later died, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office did not immediately confirm the fatality.

The shooter ran away, police said.

About 1:15 p.m., a 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the South Chicago neighborhood.

Laron McCoy was shot in the head about 1:15 p.m. in the 8100 block of South Burnham, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

McCoy was taken to South Shore Hospital, where he later died, authorities said. He lived in the 9700 block of South Luella.

Police said the shooting might have resulted from a drug dispute.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no one was in custody for either fatal shooting.

Most recently, a 22-year-old man was shot in the left leg late Tuesday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. He was standing outside about 11:35 p.m. in the 4800 block of South Winchester when someone wearing a white t-shirt opened fire from the corner of 49th and Winchester, police said. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.

About 30 minutes earlier, another Back of the Yards attack left a 17-year-old girl wounded. She was walking southbound in the 4500 block of South Hermitage about 11:05 p.m., when a green minivan drove up and someone inside opened fire, police said. The van then sped away westbound. She was shot in the right leg and taken to Stroger Hospital, where her condition was stabilized. Police said the shooting appears to be gang-related.

Earlier Tuesday night, a 23-year-old man was shot in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side. He was walking on the sidewalk in the 6900 block of South Throop about 9 p.m. when two males walked out of a gangway and shot him in the right leg, police said. He took himself to Holy Cross Hospital, where his condition stabilized. A police source said the man is a documented gang member.

About 8:30 p.m., a 61-year-old man was wounded when someone shot into a home in the North Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side. The man was in his home in the 3100 block of West Fillmore when a bullet came through a window or a wall and grazed him on the head, police said. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.

Two men were shot about three hours earlier in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the West Side. The men, ages 23 and 31, were standing outside about 5 p.m. in the 3800 block of West Augusta when someone walked up and opened fire, police said. The shooter then ran away. The 23-year-old man was shot in the left leg and the 31-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to both legs. Both were taken in good condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. Police said the older man has documented gang ties.