Chicago drive-by shooting leaves at least 12 wounded at Juneteenth event

A red SUV rolled up beside a crowded Juneteenth gathering in Chicago’s Princeton Park neighborhood and two suspects inside opened fire, turning a night of celebration into a scene of panic on the South Side. Police said the attack near West 95th Street and South Wentworth Avenue around 11 p.m. Friday showed how quickly a vehicle can be used to weaponize a public space packed with families, neighbors and festivalgoers.

Chicago police said the shooting began when the SUV pulled alongside the crowd and the occupants started firing before fleeing. NBC Chicago reported at least 13 people were injured, and police said at least 12 sustained gunshot wounds. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 47, underscoring how broadly the violence reached into the crowd.

Several of the earliest identified victims were in serious condition. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the thigh and was listed in critical condition, while a 26-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the body. Two other victims, a 32-year-old woman shot twice in the back and a 44-year-old man shot four times in the back, were reported in good condition. Those injuries suggested a burst of rapid fire aimed into a dense group of people rather than a targeted confrontation.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said he was heartbroken by the violence in Princeton Park and that what should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence. The mayor’s statement reflected the larger public-safety challenge Chicago faces at gatherings that draw large crowds into open street settings, where an armed vehicle can approach, fire, and disappear in seconds.

Area Two detectives were investigating the shooting and working to piece together what led to the attack. For Chicago, the episode added another urgent test of whether police, surveillance and community protection measures can deter fast-moving assaults in crowded public spaces before they turn a neighborhood event into a mass casualty scene.