One person was killed and eight teenagers were injured in two separate shootings in downtown Chicago on Friday night after the city’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
They added to a recent spate of shootings in the city involving young people near large gatherings.
Shots were fired on Friday at around 9:50 p.m., near the Chicago Theater at the corner of Randolph and State streets. The Chicago Police Department said that the seven victims, all minors ranging in age from 13 to 17, were taken to local hospitals. The police said six were in good condition and one, a 13 year old, was in a fair condition.
Officers were on patrol downtown near a large group of people gathered on the sidewalk when gunshots rang out and people began to flee. The officers responded to the incident and found seven people with gunshot wounds.
Video aired by local news media showed a large group running away from the Chicago Theater, with others seeking cover in a nearby subway entrance. Police officers could also be seen running through the area.
Less than an hour later, in a separate incident, two men were shot about five blocks from the Chicago Theater and taken to the hospital, the police said. One of the men was pronounced dead at the hospital. His age was not immediately clear. The other, an 18-year-old, was in serious condition as of Saturday morning.
The police said they were investigating both shootings but had no suspects in custody early Saturday.
On Friday night, downtown Chicago was crowded and brightly decorated for the tree lighting in Millennium Park, a few blocks from the Chicago Theater. The ceremony was attended by Mayor Brandon Johnson and ended before the violence started.
Chicago has been the scene of repeated incidents of violence in recent months.
A gunshot was fired during a fight between hundreds of teens in Oak Park on Halloween night at the end of October. In August, one person was killed and five others were injured in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, during a shooting at a party that had been advertised on social media and drew hundreds of young people.
President Trump has attempted to send National Guard troops to enforce his crackdown on crime and illegal immigration, an effort which has stalled in the courts.
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
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