Two women killed, three children seriously injured in shooting on Chicago's South Side, police say

CHICAGO (CBS) — Two women were killed and three children were seriously injured after a shooting in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood Thursday morning, Chicago police said.

Deputy Chief Don Jerome said that around 6:15 a.m., officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 7100 block of South Woodlawn Avenue. When officers arrived, they found five people suffering from gunshot wounds.

The victims – two women aged 22 and 42, and three boys aged 5, 7 and 8 – were all shot and received first aid from police.

The 42-year-old victim died at the scene. The 22-year-old woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died.

All three children were taken to Comer Children's Hospital in critical condition.

Initial reports indicate that the incident may have started following a personal dispute at home.

Investigators say two cars drove into the area and several people got out and fired shots with a rifle and a handgun at the home.

The shooters fled in an unknown direction and no one is in custody.

A neighbor said he heard the gunshots and ran to his window.

“I thought it was fireworks, but it wasn’t fireworks. Two people jumped off the porch, they had masks on, so I couldn’t even see their faces, they took their masks off and they went straight down. They fell straight down. I ran back into the house to get away from that,” he said.

Assemblyman Desmon Yancy (5th) called for an end to the violence and said he prayed it would never happen again.

“This senseless violence has to stop. Personal conflict and guns have become a bad combination. You know, summer is just beginning, I don’t want to stand in front of another group of microphones and have another discussion about the pain this is causing our communities.”

The investigation by Zone 1 detectives continues.

Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip to CPDTip.com.