Man Dies After Austin Shooting in Chicago's First Homicide of Year

Randy James, 39, was standing on a sidewalk early Saturday morning when he heard gunshots and realized he'd been struck in his abdomen

Published January 4, 2015 • Updated on January 4, 2015 at 10:14 am

A man died Saturday morning after being shot in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side, marking the city’s first shooting homicide of the new year.

Randy James, 39, was standing on a sidewalk at about 1:30 a.m. in the 5000 block of West Superior when he heard shots and realized he’d been struck in the left side of the abdomen, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He took himself to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park and was later transferred to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:50 a.m., authorities said. James lived in the 4600 block of West Adams.

Police had no updates on the investigation Saturday night.