11, including girl, 3, shot in Chicago park

CHICAGO – Someone opened fire late in a Chicago park leaving 11 people, including a 3-year-old child, injured, police said.

Chicago Fire Department officials said the child was in critical condition. Two other victims were also in critical condition, officials said.

Officer Amina Greer said the shooting occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. According to Greer, at least 10 ambulances responded to the scene, transporting victims to several area hospitals.

A witness, Julian Harris, told the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper that men fired at him from a gray sedan before turning toward Cornell Square Park and firing at people in the area. He said his 3-year-old nephew was wounded in the cheek.

“They hit the light pole next to me, but I ducked down and ran into the house,” he said.

“They’ve been coming round here looking for people to shoot every night, just gang-banging stuff. It’s what they do.”

Authorities said no one had been taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

Francis John, 70, said she was in her apartment when the shooting occurred. She said went down to see what was going on and “a lot of youngsters were running scared.” She said she was surprised by what had happened, saying she has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years.