A near miss at Bud Billiken parade
Monday, Aug 11, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* DNAInfo…
Two people were shot during the annual Bud Billiken Parade Saturday, police said.
The victims, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were shot about 12:30 in the 4200 block of South King Drive. The man said he was standing on King Drive when a group of people he did not know approached him, said Officer Veejay Zala, a police spokesman.
An argument ensued, and one person in the group pulled out a gun and shot the victim, Zala said. The group then fled northbound on King Drive. The man, who was shot in the left arm, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in “stable” condition. The boy was shot in the right hand and suffered a graze wound to his buttocks. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in “stable” condition.
The boy’s wounds appear to have been self-inflicted.
* CBS2…
The shooting occurred as Republican candidate for governor Bruce Rauner was shaking the hands of potential voters along the parade route in that general area, campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf confirms.
Schrimpf says he and others at the scene noticed spectators ducking and fleeing and police activity. He said he did not hear any gunfire with all of the parade-related noise.
Schrimpf says he doesn’t think Rauner was aware the shooting had happened, as he and his supporters and campaign bus passed by.
More…
“We were walking along the parade route and then suddenly, for whatever reason — we now know it was a shooting,” Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf said. “There was a bunch of spectators suddenly running south and away from what was going on. We at the time had no idea what was going on. We just saw a bunch of people running away.”
* Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon claims to have heard the shots…
Near 42nd Street, a group of people suddenly ran toward the barricades that lined the street. A woman shouted something I couldn’t understand and then she ran north, with a crowd running behind her.
That’s when I heard three, maybe four, loud bangs right in a row.
It sounded like firecrackers. Sure, I’ve shot guns before but I guess I’m fortunate to have grown up in a part of the state where my first thought went to firecrackers.
Many of the people around me, who evidently didn’t think of firecrackers at all, dropped to the ground. Other paradegoers ran, many carrying babies and small children, in any direction they could that wasn’t near the sound of possible gunfire. I looked to the area where the sounds came from figuring if anyone was shot he or she would need help. Not that I could do a darned thing on my own, but I knew people who could. I don’t have a security detail, but there were two state police officers close by.
As I searched for them, Chicago police started running past me.
People who had dropped down for safety were starting to stand up again. I noticed members of the Thornton Township High School marching band, in their beautiful purple and white uniforms, had dropped to the pavement for safety, right in their rank-and-file position.
* Sun-Times…
“Why can’t we just have one day of peace?” paradegoer Sherri Grover shouted to the crowd as police attended to the victims.
“I just ask that the gangbangers stop the violence, please,” Grover said. “This is the one day for our children.”
Witnesses said several babies and a woman in a wheelchair were nearby when the two were shot.
* The Quinn campaign’s video of the parade makes no mention of the shooting…
- William j Kelly - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 10:01 am:
According to McCarthy’s math these shooting are a great improvement if you take every parade since the 1970s, the total number of shooting in the winter of 66 and you divide them by the number of ….. Oh forget it!
- VanillaMan - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 10:18 am:
During more than one election two hundred years ago, the shooting would have been during a duel by the candidates.
- Stormfield - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 10:21 am:
Clarification from the linked article - The self-inflicted wound seems to have been a separate incident, not related to the 17-year-old.
“Another shooting that appeared to be self-inflicted was reported a few blocks west of the parade on a Green Line “L” line platform, police said.”
- Gooner - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 10:53 am:
What is interesting about this is that we seem to care about south side shootings only when there are outsiders involved somehow.
Had this been on any other day, it probably would not make the news.
There are definitely two Chicagos.
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:04 am:
When I heard this, I just thought…just for one day..one event, put the guns down.
- Palanon - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:16 am:
It’s my understanding that there are shootings associated with this parade every year, usually in post-procession antics. This year was different in that nearby shooting was done as the parade was passing.
- 4 Cents - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:20 am:
State employees being forced to March with their boss. go figure…
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:22 am:
No mention as to whether the shooter(s) were apprehended? With all the security out there, one would think that it would be pretty tough to get away from the crowd.
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:28 am:
Also, don’t the “self inflicted” wounds indicate the 17 year old was armed? Was he arrested for illegal possession of a firearm or illegally discharging a weapon?
Why is it when someone is actually captured after a shooting (Chicago gangbangers are well known for hanging on to their weapons) the reports never say the source of the weapons; stolen, “imported” or legally obtained? My guess is that disclosing this would pretty much kill the argument against prohibiting legally purchased and licensed firearms. Just doesn’t fit Rahm’s narrative, so it’s kept quiet.
- Gooner - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:34 am:
Arizona Bob,
You are claiming that Rahm is preventing reporters from writing about the source of guns?
You really think he has that much control?
OK, Bob. That’s a theory.
- Wumpus - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:37 am:
No mention of NRI?
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 11:47 am:
Bob, most guns captured by CPD come from Mississippi and Indiana. WGN TV covered this last week or two weeks ago. The New York Times covered it last year or earlier this year. Over half of guns are from out of state. A fifth are from Chuck’s in Riverdale. You would think all those “law abiding” gun owners shopping at Chuck’s would report their guns stolen, even if they live where it’s not required. Unless of course they are straw purchasers.
- Mokenavince - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 12:22 pm:
Over 50,000 people were at the parade,and the media just cares about a couple of knuckle heads that shoot them selves.
The parade has always been very peaceful.
With out a doubt Chicago can use more cops.
- wordslinger - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 12:36 pm:
AB, Emanuel runs the newspapers now? Who else is in on your gun conspiracy?
- Arizona Bob - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 2:45 pm:
@wordslinger
geez, read my last sentence in the post, Word.
- Palanon - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 6:22 pm:
>>>>> most guns captured by CPD come from Mississippi and Indiana.
>>>>> Over half of guns are from out of state.
Just Statistics.
None of this has a direct bearing on crime except that someone is fulfilling a need.
None of the recovered guns come from Chicago.
The numbers are skewed because no guns have been legally sold in Chicago in generations.
- Visual Manager - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 8:19 pm:
After which shooting are people just going to have had enough…