Girl, 17, shot dead after stabbing woman near 31st Street beach

BRONZEVILLE — A teenage girl was shot and killed after stabbing a woman near 31st Street Beach Saturday, hours after holding a vigil to pray for peace on the beach that has seen bouts of violence this summer.

On Saturday around 11:30 p.m., a 17-year-old girl and a 26-year-old woman were in the 3000 block of South Fort Dearborn Drive, just north of 31st Street Beach, when they began arguing, police said. The teen pulled out a sharp object and stabbed the woman in the right arm, police said.

The woman, who had a concealed-weapon permit, then pulled out a gun and shot the girl in the shoulder, police said.

The woman was taken to Insight Hospital in good condition while the girl was taken to University of Chicago Hospital, where she was treated and released, police said.

The teen was arrested and charges are pending, police said Sunday.

The stabbing and subsequent shootings follow a recent spate of violence at 31st Street Beach. Earlier Saturday, a vigil was held at the beach as neighbors and community leaders called for peace, according to ABC 7.

The vigil took place after four people were shot – three fatally – on or near the beach in June.

On June 19, two women were shot dead when a gunman opened fire on a crowd gathered on the beach. A 22-year-old woman was killed after being shot three times in the chest, police said. A 20-year-old woman was shot in the leg and hospitalized.

Two days later, Elijah Dillon Bombin, 23, and his girlfriend were killed after Bombin exchanged gunfire with a group of people while picking up his girlfriend in the area, his family told ABC 7 Chicago. Both were shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Following these shootings, Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) asked the Park District to temporarily close the beach at 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. and increase enforcement of after-hours loitering in adjacent lots.

The Park District did not say whether it would increase the curfew on the South Side beach, but said it would work with Robinson and other city agencies to address safety concerns.

Those efforts paid off last weekend, which was free of violent incidents after crews towed 37 cars from the beach parking lot. The Park District also installed bag check barriers and added signs indicating that the 31st Street beach's operating hours are under the direction of the police department.

The Watch Guard citizens group has also patrolled the beach in recent weeks in an effort to make it safer for families trying to beat the summer heat.

The Chicago Block Club Jamie Nesbitt Golden contributed reporting

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