Tow Truck Shot on Dan Ryan Expressway

A gunman opened fire on the Dan Ryan Expressway late Sunday night, firing shots at a tow truck on the roadway, police said.

The shooting happened around 10:45 p.m. in the northbound lanes of the expressway near 28th Street, according to Illinois State Police.

A tow truck pulling another vehicle was shot at, but no injuries were reported. The expressway was briefly shut down following the shooting.

Police said they're searching for a gray four-door Acura in connection with the shooting, which remained under investigation Monday morning.

It is the latest in a string of recent expressway shootings in the Chicago area and comes less than one week after state police announced the launch of a new program designed to curb the surge in highway violence.

Last Wednesday, police revealed plans for “Operation Ryan’s Hope,” an initiative named after the Dan Ryan Expressway which plans to bring multiple agencies together to allow for more officers on the roadways.

The crackdown was expected to bring up to 35 troopers on area expressways, but state police say those extra patrols were not on Sunday night. 

The Sunday shooting brings the total number of expressway shootings to 27, a figure that far surpasses totals from the past two years.

Illinois State Police data showed that only 19 shootings were reported in 2014 and 16 were reported in 2013. 

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