Shooting near St. Rita High School baseball game forces players to hit ground, take cover

A video posted to social media appeared to indicate a primary baseman and a pitcher drop to the bottom as a couple of dozen gunshots rang out. Others ran and a few gamers even jumped into the dugout to take cowl.

The taking pictures occurred extremely near the Catholic highschool at round 5:20 p.m. within the 7800-block of South Western Avenue, about 100 yards off faculty property.

At that second, a baseball recreation between St. Rita Excessive College and Marmion Academy was underway.

Chicago police stated a 42-year-old lady was popping out of a McDonald’s drive-thru when a dark-colored Jeep drove by and fired photographs in her path.

Surveillance video reveals what witnesses stated was that very same Jeep chopping although a gasoline station parking zone at 79th and Western seconds earlier than the taking pictures.

“I simply heard gunshots, a automobile handed by,” stated Gawab Ali Ahmed. “I used to be right here working. All I see is gunshots and a few folks screaming.”

The girl’s automobile was broken and 5 different parked automobiles had been additionally hit, police stated. No accidents had been reported and no suspects had been taken into custody.

Grandparent Sabrina Johnson stated her grandson was getting air in his tire at a gasoline station throughout the road from St. Rita when the photographs had been fired.

“Impulsively they noticed this automobile pull up they usually began taking pictures towards McDonald’s, in order that they acquired to ducking and the whole lot like that, so it was actually terrifying,” Johnson stated. “We actually thought this space was actually secure, but it surely occurs wherever.”

Too nervous nonetheless to indicate her face, one mom described her concern as she raced to choose up her son.

“The sport was nonetheless occurring and different dad and mom had been actually nervous, shooken up. All of them took cowl and form of advised me what occurred,” she stated. “Their security is my fundamental concern and I really feel like, I wasn’t right here when the gunshots finished, however I heard the aftermath and I really feel like possibly the sport ought to have been stopped.”

In the meantime, St. Rita Excessive College officers stated everyone seems to be OK and launched an announcement saying, “Yesterday’s incident in our neighborhood was disturbing and a tragic reminder that violence can happen wherever at any time. We thank our safety employees and regulation enforcement for his or her fast response. We stay totally dedicated to the protection of our college students, school, employees, dad and mom, and visitors.”

Now police are wanting on the gasoline station surveillance video as a part of their investigation into the afternoon drive-by taking pictures that erupted within reach of highschool athletics.