Three people were killed — including a Chicago Public Schools employee — and 10 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago on Thursday.
The latest fatal shooting happened at 9:15 p.m. in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side, according to Chicago Police.
A 31-year-old man was sitting on a porch in the 5700 block of South Peoria when a Dodge Challenger drove past and gunshots were fired, police said. When officers arrived on the scene, they found the man unresponsive on the ground and unresponsive.
He was shot in the head and taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:13 p.m., the Cook County medical examiner’s office and police said.
A 20-year-old man was sitting in a chair on the sidewalk in the 7800 block of South East End in South Shore shortly after 4 p.m. when a white SUV pulled up and someone exited the vehicle, stood over the man and fired shots, police said. He was shot several times in the torso and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The medical examiner’s office did not immediately confirm the fatality.
A Chicago Public Schools employee was shot to death about 12:30 p.m. outside an elementary school in the West Side Austin neighborhood, police said.
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Denzel D. Thornton, 25, was getting into a parked vehicle in the 4800 block of West Walton when someone walked up and shot him in the head, police and the medical examiner’s office said. The shooter then ran to a black car nearby and drove away.
The shooting occurred in front of Ronald McNair Elementary School, located at 4820 W. Walton St. Thornton worked as a compliance specialist for CPS Nutrition Services for the past 10 months, and was making his regular rounds at the time, according to a statement from CPS.
Thornton, of the 800 block of West Buena, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:38 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said.
McNair’s families received an automated call shortly after the shooting, saying, “Attention McNair Families. This is an important message from Chicago Public Schools. The Chicago Police Department is currently investigating an incident that took place outside our school today. No McNair students were injured as a result of this incident, however students may have questions or be upset by what happened. The CPS Crisis Support Team will be at school tomorrow to provide assistance to any students needing support, as well as an increased presence from CPS Safety and Security. We will continue to update you as we learn more, and thank you.”
The school’s 8th grade student graduation was scheduled for later Thursday afternoon and took place as planned.
“On behalf of all of Chicago Public Schools, we were devastated to learn today about the tragic death of one of our employees,” CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said in the statement. “Denzel Thornton was a member of our Nutrition Services team, and like many CPS employees, he worked hard every day to serve our children. Even in challenging circumstances, CPS employees are extraordinarily dedicated to the students we serve, and I have the deepest respect for their commitment and hard work. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Denzel Thornton, and we will all keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”
The most recent nonfatal shooting happened at 11:20 p.m. in Humboldt Park. A female, whose age was not known early Friday, was shot in the foot in the 700 block of North St. Louis. Additional details were not available.
About 10:30 p.m., a 22-year-old man was walking on the sidewalk in the 11700 block of South Peoria when a male walked up from behind and shot him in the left leg, according to police. He was taken to Christ Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.
Eight other people were wounded in shootings Thursday.
