A 15-year-old boy walking down the sidewalk near his high school in the city's South Austin neighborhood was fatally struck by gunfire Tuesday, just minutes after class let out, officials say.
According to police, the shooting occurred just after 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 5100 block of West Harrison Street near Michele Clark Magnet High School.
Reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times states the boy was shot multiple times.
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The victim, later identified as 15-year-old Kevin Davis, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was initially reported to be in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead.
“It’s a tragedy," Chicago Police Department 15th District Cmdr. Andre Parham said during a press conference Tuesday. "I’ve been in this job 26 years, and it doesn’t get any easier. You hate to see anything happen to children in our community. It’s mind-numbing. You’re tired of seeing things like this.”
In an update Tuesday evening, police confirmed that the boy was a student at Michele Clark Magnet High School. According to Chicago Public School's Chief Safety and Security Officer Jadine Chow, grief counselors will be on site Wednesday, and additional security will be provided along a "Safe Passage Route" as students walk to and from school.
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Chow during Tuesday's press conference called Michele Clark a safe school, describing it as “a shining star” in Chicago and one that CPS looks to, to set an example for the district. “It’s not something that we see, these situations would be very extraordinary.”
According to officials, no one in custody and the shooting is under investigation by area detectives.
"If you harm one of our children in the city we are going to find you," Parham said Tuesday. "We are going to prosecute you."
