Chicago police reported that around 7:30 p.m., a 67-year-old food vendor was approached by two individuals in the 10700-block of South Ewing. The two individuals brandished guns and started shooting.
A witness mentioned hearing an argument over the price of ice cream, which the vendor was selling outside a grocery store, before the gunfire started.
“It’s shocking. Someone’s life over a dollar?” said witness Dave Johnson. “Shots fired over a dollar? That’s insane. I heard two men arguing loudly. I could hear them from a block away.”
Initially, there were sounds of frustration, followed by a single gunshot.
“Then, suddenly, I heard a ‘pow!'” Johnson said. “I went to the corner of my deck. I looked down the street, and I saw a man lying on the grass. He had been shot in the leg.”
The victim, a 67-year-old food vendor, was left injured on the ground while the two suspects attempted to flee. However, they were quickly apprehended by Chicago police and SWAT officers at 108th and Ewing.
“Apparently, he either didn’t pay the dollar or couldn’t afford it,” Johnson said.
The victim was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition. The suspects ran into a nearby residence, leading to a standoff with police before they were eventually arrested.
Despite the arrests, the incident has left longtime residents of the neighborhood concerned.
“It’s terrifying, gunshots so close to your home,” Johnson said.
“I used to feel safe here, but now I feel like I can’t spend as much time outside,” resident Manuel Perea said.
The two suspects have not been identified by the police, and charges are pending.