Latest shooting kills one CPS student, wounds two others in Edgewater: ‘It has to end, the harm and the chaos’

A Chicago Public Schools student was killed and two others wounded Wednesday afternoon in what police believe was a targeted attack just blocks from their North Side school.

It’s the second fatal shooting of CPS students in less than a week, coming after two boys were gunned down near their Loop charter school.

In Wednesday’s attack, the teen boys, students at Senn High School, were walking about 3:35 p.m. in the 1200 block of West Thorndale Avenue when a vehicle approached them and several people got out and opened fire, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said at a news conference.

The boys were about two blocks from their school, 5900 N. Glenwood Ave., when they were attacked, Snelling said.

Daveon Gibson, 16, was struck in the chest and was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Another boy, also 16, suffered gunshot wounds to the jaw, chest and arm. He was taken to St. Francis in critical condition, police said. A 15-year-old boy was shot in the leg and was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

Mayor Brandon Johnson joined Snelling at a news conference near the scene and said the city would be offering counseling services to students and victims’ families.

“It has to end, the harm and the chaos and the trauma that is being caused by individuals who do not value life,” Johnson said. “The full force of government will be used to bring those individuals to justice.”

Snelling said although detectives were still investigating, they believed the boys had been targeted.

“We are committed to making sure that we get to the bottom of these types of crimes and that we take these people into custody,” Snelling said. “We will be holding them accountable.”

He also said there would be police presence at all schools across the city at the time of arrival and during dismissal.

Wednesday’s attack occurred less than a week after two CPS students were killed in a shooting in the Loop.

Last Friday, Robert Boston, 16, and Monterio Williams, 17, were shot near Washington Street and Wabash Avenue, just blocks from Millennium Park, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. They were students at Innovations High School, a charter school at 17 N. State St.

Snelling said there was no evidence the two attacks were related.

On Jan. 22, a student was gunned down outside CICS-Loomis-Longwood, at 1309 W. 95th. St., following a disturbance inside the school.

At a public hearing Tuesday night on the West Side, Snelling addressed concerns from several individuals on efforts being undertaken by CPD to prevent youth violence.

He said the only way police would be able to make an impact was if the department and community members worked together to help kids in need.

“When you see kids who need help, reach out and point them in our direction so we can help,” he said. “We need community members to stand next to us to reach these kids that are struggling.”

Contributing: Kade Heather and Sophie Sherry