By: Kirsten West Savali, Your Black World
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 23, a 1-year old girl fell victim to the rampant violence that characterizes the Southside of Chicago.
Police reports state that the baby girl was walking the family dog with her aunt, when two gunmen, between the ages of 16 and 19, targeted a man riding a bicycle. After a brief eruption of gunfire, all involved fled the scene, leaving the young aunt curled over her niece on the ground to protect her.
Sadly, the horrific damage was already done.
Chicago Police spokesman, Robert Perez, said that the infant “had visible trauma” to her head, when she was rushed to Advocate Trinity Hospital. She was then transferred to Children’s Memorial Hospital to undergo surgery.
Neighbors on the scene told police that all parties involved were gang members from the neighborhood and that the altercation was unexpected.
“I heard him talking to police. He said he was as shocked to see the two gunmen as they were him. They started shooting and he pedaled off as fast he could trying to zig-zag to avoid the shots,” the neighbor said.
Sharita Johnson, said the shots were so unexpected that her boyfriend — caught in the crossfire while walking her 5-year old son to school — ran and ducked for cover.
“I yelled, ‘My baby!’” Johnson recalls screaming as she ran to grab her son. “He was frozen with fear.”
The infant’s mother is a senior in Chicago Public Schools and lives with her parents, sister and two brothers, around the corner from where the shooting took place.
A trail of blood leading from the devastating shooting back to their home remained on the sidewalk until the rain washed it away; police say that no one has been charged with the crime, no one is in custody and they do not have a description of the shooter.
It is abhorrent that with all those witnesses — specifically a neighbor who recognized the gangbangers — that no one has provided the police with a name and a description. All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. If no one comes forward to ensure that the culprits are arrested for this heinous crime, then they are as guilty as if they pulled the trigger.
