CHICAGO (CBS) — Jewish residents in a North Side neighborhood said they fear the shooting that preceded a shootout with police on Saturday was a hate crime.
Police said the suspect shot and later opened fire on a 39-year-old man He pointed the gun at the police and paramedics. Officers then shot and seriously injured the suspect.
Chicago police have not confirmed whether the initial shooting, in which the victim was shot in the shoulder, was a hate crime, but some neighbors speculated the victim was targeted because of his religion.
“A Jewish man walking to synagogue, Saturday morning, Saturday morning, that doesn't make sense,” said Abraham Trachtman, who lives in the West Ridge neighborhood.
Trachtman said that there is a large Orthodox Jewish community in the area, and he was heading to the local synagogue when his sister came running to him.
“A Jewish man has been shot!” A Jewish man has been shot!” “At 9:30 a.m. I was walking into the synagogue, and immediately asked, 'Are the children safe?'” Trachtman said.
Police said the victim was walking near the 2600 block of West Farwell Street around 9:30 a.m. Saturday when the 23-year-old suspect shot him in the shoulder. About 20 minutes after officers arrived at the scene, police said the same suspect came out of an alley and opened fire on officers and paramedics, hitting an ambulance.
“I heard it must have been like two waves, maybe a dozen each,” said Marcia Lawrence, who heard the gunfire. “You know, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. There was nothing wrong with what it was.”
The suspect was shot and taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
Neighbors in the area were left wondering what caused the shooting.
“Why didn't the shooter go to other people?” Trachtman said. “It seemed like he waited. (He didn't say, 'Give me your money' or anything. He just walked up and started shooting this Jewish guy.”)
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the police shooting. The officers involved in this shooting will be assigned to routine administrative duties for at least 30 days.
