Clergy, elected officials, community leaders and family members of some of the victims of Monday night’s mass shooting will gather Wednesday morning to urge residents who know anything about what happened to come forward.
The group will meet at the corner of California and Polk to to address the drive-by shooting that took place in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.
The shooting occurred around 9 p.m. Monday as people celebrated Halloween and others gathered for a vigil and balloon release in the 2700 block of West Flournoy Street. The wounded children — 3, 11 and 13 years old — were admitted to hospitals in serious condition; the other victims ranged in age from 31 to 56, and two of them were listed in critical condition, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis will join a citywide coalition of faith leaders in speaking out against the senseless violence that has consistently occurred in the area, just minutes away from the congressman’s Chicago office.
Civil rights advocate Dr. Marshall Hatch, who pastors the New Mount Pilgrim Church in West Garfield, also will attend along with fellow Pastor Ira Acree of Greater St. John Bible Church. Both are members of the Leaders Network, the West Side-based social justice organization.
New pastor Rev. Cornelius Parks, who heads the Good Hope Baptist Church, which is within walking distance from Monday night’s shooting that injured at least 14, will be there alongside members of his congregation.
Ald. Jason Ervin, the Chicago City Council’s Black Caucus chairman, and Yolanda Fields of Breakthrough Urban Ministries are also expected to attend.
“When children are shot a line has been crossed,” Rev. Hatch said in a statement. “Forward information to police and give up the shooter, that’s the only honorable thing to do.”
Pastor Parks said: “This madness occurred just steps away from my church. I can’t believe how out of control the violence is in Chicago. Something has to give.”
Rev. Acree said more than a dozen people have been shot, including three children, and no one is in custody.
“This is unacceptable,” he said. “We are calling upon all Chicagoans to assist in getting the perpetrators of these crimes off the street.”