Edgewater community holds vigil for students shot near Senn High School

Candles flickered in the chill of February on Thursday night as dozens of Edgewater residents sang “Amazing Grace” at a vigil for three teen boys who were shot the day before — one of them fatally — blocks away from their school.

Neighbors stood on the corner of Magnolia and Thorndale avenues outside Trinity Church, which organized the vigil. Many left flowers and stuffed animals on the sidewalk, next to a message written in chalk that read, “You matter to us.”

“We want to pray for change, we want to pray for peace,” said Matt Sweetman, pastor of the church. “We pray for the family, we pray for the city, we pray against any retaliations or any reactions.”

Daveon Gibson, 16, and two other boys were walking after school Wednesday afternoon in the 1200 block of Thorndale when someone opened fire, Chicago police said.

Anthony Vazqez/Sun-Times

A witness reported seeing one young male open fire on the three Senn High School students before fleeing the scene in a white sedan, according to police reports.

Daveon was struck in the chest and 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 Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

Peg Dublin said her daughter-in-law came out of her home yesterday and held Daveon.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

“As this child was dying she held him in her arms until he died, and she will never be the same again, as the family will never be the same again,” Dublin said.

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

Dublin suggested creating a safe passage route down Thorndale Avenue from Senn High School to the Thorndale CTA Red Line stop to help keep students safe.

Local Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th) attended the vigil and said she was open to the idea. Manaa-Hoppenworth, whose office helped publicize the gathering, says she hopes the vigil shows concerned families that the community is behind them.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

“Right now we really are centered on Daveon and the families and the other victims, because we want to show them that we are here for them no matter where they are and we’re thinking about them,” Manaa-Hoppenworth said.

According to a police report, the witness told police there appeared to be only one shooter but could not tell if there was anyone else in the vehicle. The shooting may have followed a dispute inside the school, according to the report.

When officers arrived on the scene, a large group of students were gathered around the boys, according to the police report.

Kelsey Craft, who’s lived in the neighborhood for seven years, attended the vigil to show support for her longtime community. She said she was in “disbelief” when she heard about the shooting.

“For me personally my walking route is through Senn, so just thinking about those kids, defenseless and being harmed is just awful,” Craft said. “I’m really proud of our community for showing up.”

The attack occurred less than a week after two CPS students were killed in a shooting in the Loop. CPD officials have said there was no indication that the two incidents were related.

Former Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey was among those in the crowd Thursday night. He said the shooting Wednesday hit close to him because he taught at Senn High School for a decade before stepping into the public spotlight, and his son is a junior there.

He says more needs to be done to address the root causes of violence in pockets of the city, such as tackling homelessness and providing counseling, as well as more job opportunities for young people.

“Every time someone is shot and killed, especially a young person, we hear public figures say we need to stop the violence, we always call on that, but I don’t think we ever do the things that are necessary to stop violence like this,” Sharkey said.