Crime
Woman Fatally Shot in Apparent Case of Mistaken Identity in North Lawndale
CHICAGO, IL — A 33-year-old woman was shot and killed Thursday afternoon in what authorities believe may have been a case of mistaken identity, as she sat inside a vehicle with tinted windows in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood.
According to the Chicago Police Department, the shooting occurred just after 2:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of South Ridgeway Avenue on the city’s West Side.
The victim was seated in a white sedan when she was approached by three individuals. One of them drew a firearm and opened fire, striking the woman multiple times in the face and torso.
Police said the victim attempted to flee by driving away, but the vehicle ultimately crashed into a curb near 18th Street.
She was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
Her identity has not yet been publicly released, pending notification of next of kin.
Investigators believe the assailants may have mistaken her for someone else due to the car’s heavily tinted windows.
A large crime scene stretched from the 1600 block to the 1800 block of South Ridgeway, with officers placing at least 22 evidence markers at the site.
A gray two-flat home nearby became a point of interest as detectives worked to collect information from residents.
One neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said she noticed the vehicle acting erratically just before the shooting.
“The car was parked, but it kept inching forward and reversing slightly, like it couldn’t decide where to stop,” she said. “I had just gotten into my house when I heard the first shots—then a pause, and then a burst of rapid gunfire.”
After the incident, officers from the Ogden (10th) District, along with Harrison Area detectives, canvassed nearby yards and alleyways for additional evidence.
The white sedan was left with all its doors open, surrounded by investigators and crime scene technicians.
As of Thursday evening, no arrests had been made, and no suspects had been publicly identified.
Authorities have not released a motive, though preliminary details suggest the woman may not have been the intended target.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Chicago Police Department or submit tips anonymously to CPD’s tip line at 833-408-0069.
Authorities have identified the man shot and killed Friday afternoon in a parking lot outside a Little Caesars restaurant in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.
The victim has been named as Stevens Jeffrey, 29, according to police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The shooting occurred in the 2600 block of West Cermak Road near Rockwell Street at approximately 1:10 p.m., according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Preliminary reports indicate that Jeffrey was sitting in his vehicle when he was approached by an unknown vehicle.
An armed individual exited that vehicle and opened fire, striking Jeffrey multiple times in the face and body.
Emergency responders arrived on the scene, where Jeffrey was pronounced dead. He was discovered inside his vehicle with his two young children, ages 4 and 6, who were unharmed.
Both children were transported to Stroger Hospital for precautionary evaluation.
The shooting took place in the parking lot of a Little Caesars restaurant, where investigators recovered multiple shell casings and placed numerous evidence markers on the ground.
As of Friday evening, no suspects are in custody, and detectives from the CPD Area Four Homicide Unit are leading the investigation. Police have not released information on a possible motive.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about this homicide to contact Chicago Police or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTip.com.