Suspect in Grand Crossing mass shooting is facing murder charges in killing of 59-year-old bystander

Trivell Pruitt, 53, is suspected of shooting two people, one fatally, on Monday outside a strip of stores in the 7100 block of South State Street. Pruitt was shot and wounded by another shooter who remains at large.

SHARE Suspect in Grand Crossing mass shooting is facing murder charges in killing of 59-year-old bystander

Chicago police work the scene where four people were shot, one fatally, in the 7100 block of South State Street in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on Monday.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

A man is facing charges in connection with a mass shooting that killed a man and wounded three others Monday in Grand Crossing.

Trivell Pruitt, 53, was arrested hours after he opened fire in the 7100 block of South State Street, Chicago police said.

According to police, Pruitt was arguing with a 30-year-old man when Pruitt pulled out a gun and shot the man in the leg about 5:40 p.m.

The man was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was in serious condition, police said.

A short time later, Pruitt exchanged fire with someone else and was hit in the leg. Officers found him inside a Subway restaurant about 8:30 p.m. Pruitt was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition.

Two men, believed to be bystanders, were hit by gunfire and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, police said. One of them, Simon Brown Sr., 59, was shot in the abdomen. He later died. The condition of the other, a 49-year-old who was shot in the head, was described as grave.

Simon “Willie” Brown

Simon “Willie” Brown

Provided by family

Brown’s son, Simon Brown Jr., said it’s hard” dealing with the news of his dad’s death. The younger Brown is graduating from college in Minnesota this spring.

“I just keep thinking about how scared, or how he must’ve felt, when he was taken to the hospital,” the younger Brown said.

In a GoFundMe online fundraiser to pay for his father’s funeral, Brown said his father “could cook and grill like nobody’s business.” He would wake up early each morning to listen to gospel music on 89.3 WKKC, his son wrote.

Pruitt was arrested and charged in the shooting death of Brown and the wounding of the 30-year-old. He is facing one count each of first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder, police said.

He is expected to appear in court Thursday.

The second shooter remained at large Wednesday night.

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