South Shore shooting victim's family still seeking answers: 'He was my reflection'

Torian Pryor was shot in the back and wounded in South Shore two weeks ago. He died hours later, and his family is still looking for answers.

Pryor, 19, was outside a home in the 6700 block of South Cornell Avenue shortly after 12:30 a.m., April 1, when someone pulled up in a black Jeep and fired shots, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Pryor was shot in the back and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was initially listed in good condition, according to police. Four hours later, Pryor was pronounced dead, the medical examiner’s office said.

He was one of 32 people shot, seven fatally, that weekend, the city’s deadliest so far this year.

Pryor’s brother Troy Pryor said he, Torian and their sister Tajuneice were close while growing up in Englewood.

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Pryor said he remembered his little brother’s smile. He said Torian was a kindhearted person who was “filled with joy” and often taking on a leadership role, despite being younger. He said that when he would get upset, it was often his little brother who was there to help him keep a level head and make the right decision.

“He was the best brother you could ever have as far as leadership, as far as loving and caring,” Pryor said of his brother, who loved basketball and football. “He definitely was an angel on Earth.”

The eldest Pryor, now 24, would watch Torian and his sister when they were kids and said they “stuck around each other” and were close.

“We imitated each other. Whatever I did, he did,” Pryor said. “He was my reflection.”

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Pryor said he has now heard four different stories about the night his brother was killed, and the only thing he could confirm is his brother was shot shortly after getting out of an Uber, which was unusual, Troy said, given that his brother was mostly a homebody.

No one is in custody, and police said there have been no updates in the investigation in the last two weeks.

“He lost his life to some stupidity,” Pryor said. “I just really want to know why they targeted someone they don’t know. They’re taking good-hearted kids.”

Pryor wants to know what happened. He said that neither police nor the hospital have given any answers. The medical examiner’s office ruled Torian Pryor’s death a homicide and attributed it to multiple gunshot wounds.

“That’s what I want to know,” Pryor said. “He was doing good in the ambulance. … If he was doing alright, what happened?”

He said his family is holding up, but that he still can’t believe it’s real.

“It hurts real bad, this ain’t supposed to be happening,” Pryor said. “These are the moments you don’t want to live for, burying your brother, especially so young. … I wake up every day thinking it was a dream.”