Chicago: Improved Reporting at Trib on 8 Shootings (1/7)

By Nicholas Stix

Although the Chicago Tribune’s title for the following shootings dispatch sounds virtually identical to many others in my Chicago files, most of which are written solo by Peter Nickeas, the report sounds nothing like them. In one case, the reporters note that the victim was a gang member, in another the CPD describes a shooting as “gang-related,” and in a third, the police are cited as sayng they didn't believe the victims' claim as to where they'd been shot. Usually, readers have to divine everything between the lines. I don’t know if this is due to the CPD being more helpful, or to the influence of Liam Ford.

The problem in Chicago isn't "senseless violence." Many of these shootings are good shootings, because one gangbanger is shooting another. The problems are that: 1. These guys can't shoot straight; 2. Trauma surgeons save too many of them; 3. Illinois has no death penalty, so instead of meeting justice, they get to hit up on the white net taxpayer for $50,000 per year for prison; and 4. Black and Hispanic mothers raise each new generation of children to become new gangbangers.

Most of the white urban ethnic gangs of the early 20th century died off, because many were killed by their enemies or their friends, many others were executed by the state, and no ideology of the rule of crime was promoted by the schools, higher ed, the press, and the state itself.

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1 dead, 7 others hurt in shootings on South, Northwest sides
By Liam Ford and Peter Nickeas
3:31 a.m. CDT, May 18, 2012
Chicago Tribune
 

Crime Scenes

3500 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, USA
7900 S Laflin St, Chicago, IL 60620, USA
200 E 111th St, Chicago, IL 60628, USA
S Vincennes Ave & W Monterey Ave, Chicago, IL 60643, USA
7100 S Cicero Ave, Chicago, IL 60638, USA
7500 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60619, USA

A 22-year-old man was shot to death and seven other people, including a 15-year-old boy, were hurt in shootings on the South and West sides Thursday evening, police said.

The slaying victim was shot in the chest and was dead on the scene following the attack about 7:10 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Laflin Street in the Gresham neighborhood, said Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala.
Someone approached the man on foot before shooting him, police said; the victim was affiliated with an area gang.

The Cook County medical examiner's office identified him as Sidney McDowell. He lived where he was shot, a spokeswoman for the office said. He was pronounced dead atJohn H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook Countyabout an hour after being shot. [N.S.: Spacing errors were in the original.]

The 15-year-old boy was shot in the head by a man or boy who came up to him and shot him while he was in Palmer Park, 200 E. 111th Street, about 6:47 p.m. in the Roseland neighborhood, said Zala. The boy was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Zala said.

Two men, 18 and 23,were shot about 10:30 p.m., police said. The younger man was shot in the abdomen and the older man was shot in the right hip, police said. They drove to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and are in serious condition, police said.

The pair told police they were in a car traveling north on the 7100 block of South Cicero Avenue in the Ford City neighborhood when another car drove up and someone inside opened fire about 10:30 p.m., police said. But nobody in that area called police to report the sound of gunfire and police suspect the address provided by the men may be bogus.

About 5 minutes later, a 17-year-old boy was shot in the right calf when two people walked up to him and another male and started shooting, police said. They were walking on the 7500 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood, police said. The boy is in stable condition at Christ medical center.

A 17-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman were shot about 8:35 p.m. near Monterey and Vincennes avenues in the Morgan Park neighborhood, Zala said. The two were in the area when a man or boy came up to them and shot them, Zala said.

The boy suffered a gunshot wound to the back and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, and the woman was taken to MetroSouth Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the leg and a graze wound to the back, Zala said.

Earlier, a man was shot and critically wounded in the Albany Park neighborhood.

The man, 19, was shot in the chest abdomen [sic] about 5:30 p.m. in the 3500 block of West Montrose Avenue, said Chicago police news affairs officers. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition, where he remained Friday morning, police said.

Someone emerged from between two buildings and opened fire at the man, hitting him. Police said the shooting was gang-related.

lford@tribune.com
Twitter: @ltaford

pnickeas@tribune.com
Twitter: @peternickeas