Chicago

‘Storm of Gunshots': 6 Shot Following Rapper's Funeral in Chicago: Police

Chicago Police Department Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the shooting followed "a possible funeral or memorial"

Six people were shot during a funeral service in broad daylight on Chicago’s South Side Monday afternoon, authorities said.

The funeral service was for rapper Vantrease Criss who went by "Dooski Tha Man," Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed. The rapper had been shot and killed more than a week ago, officials said.

The shooting took place around 12:30 p.m. in the 9200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue outside a church in the Burnside neighborhood, Guglielmi said. 

Guglielmi said early reports indicated the shooting happened as "the services ended and people were getting their cars."

Sgt. Rocco Alioto confirmed four people were taken to University of Chicago Hospital, one was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center and one was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital. Five were listed in stable condition and one in critical.

Alioto said a 25-year-old man was shot in the arm, a 27-year-old man shot in the leg and body, a 25-year-old man shot in the leg, and a 23-year-old man shot in the leg. An 18-year-old male also was shot, but it wasn't clear where.

A man whose age wasn't known was struck in the head.

A heavy police presence could be seen in the area just moments after the gunfire was reported. Police said multiple scenes stretched along Cottage Grove from 91st to 93rd Streets. 

Residents were being told to avoid the area and report information to the department at cpdtip.com

Those who live near the shooting said they heard anywhere from 40 to 50 gunshots ring out. 

"I heard a storm of gunshots, like 40 to 50," said resident Cynthia Rainey. "I ran out to see if I could be of assistance to anybody injured and when I got to Cottage Grove there was just police, police, police and just a person laying on the ground being attended to and mothers crying for their sons. It was just terrible." 

Ruth Rivera, who lives on Cottage Grove, said she arrived to find blood on the ground and dozens of bullet casings. 

"We need to stop the violence because the violence is getting worse and worse each day," she said. 

"As a mother, as a human being to hear that, gunshots like that in the middle of the day, knowing that people are walking down the street, on the bus, driving in cars that have nothing to do with it - it makes you just afraid at any given time," Rainey said. "This can happen any time, any place, anywhere."

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