Nearly 80 People Shot In Chicago, 15 Of Them Killed, In July 4th Weekend

CHICAGO (CBS) — Nearly 80 people have been shot in Chicago since Friday night this July 4th holiday weekend, and 15 of them have been killed.

Twelve of the weekend shooting victims were under age 18. Two of the 12 were killed.

Among the incidents were a shooting that left a 7-year-old girl dead while she was visiting her grandmother for a 4th of July party in South Austin Saturday night, and two mass shootings – one of which left four people dead and four more wounded.

Around 7:02 p.m. Saturday, Natalia Wallace, 7, was shot in the forehead as she and other children played in the yard in the 100 block of North Latrobe Avenue. She was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County where she later died, police said.

Natalia was on the sidewalk when a light-colored vehicle pulled up and an unknown number of people exited. Those people then took out guns and fired shots her direction, police said.

A 32-year-old man was also wounded in the shooting, police said. He transported himself to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition with a gunshot wound to the ankle and a graze wound to the leg.

Family describes Natalia as “sweet, shy, loving, and good at math.”

“Kids outside playing, they shouldn’t have to worry about guns and people shooting,” Natalia’s father, Nathan Wallace, told CBS 2’s Marissa Parra.

A person of interest was being questioned Sunday night in Natalia’s death. Charges are pending.

About four and a half hours later, eight people were shot in the 6100 block of South Carpenter Street in Englewood. Four of them – including a 14-year-old boy – died.

There was a large gathering in the middle of the street when police say four men walked up and started shooting.

Police said that boy was shot in the back while playing with two other boys, ages 11 and 15. They were also both struck by gunfire and were reported in fair condition Sunday.

Two others, a 29-year-old man in fair condition and a 35-year-old man in critical condition, were being treated at St. Bernard Hospital Sunday. Three other victims – whose ages have not been specified – also died in addition to the 14-year-old boy, police said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office has not identified the boy who was killed, but an attorney representing his family identified him as Varnado Jones.

Police also responded to another mass shooting around 1:15 Sunday morning near 15th Street and Millard Avenue in North Lawndale. Police said a group of people were lighting fireworks on the sidewalk when a car pulled up and someone inside started shooting towards the crowd.

Six people were shot in that incident. A 20-year-old woman was shot in the head and abdomen and died at the hospital. Five other victims, all men between the ages of 27 and 44 are being treated at different hospitals in good to critical condition.

Another child was also wounded early Sunday morning in West…