KEY POINTS

  • Someone in a black vehicle opened fire at the attendees
  • All the injured were at five different hospitals in the area
  • The motive behind the shooting was not known

One person was taken into custody after at least 14 people were injured in a shootout at a funeral in the Gresham neighborhood in Chicago’s South Side on Tuesday, July 21.

Speaking at the scene, Chicago Police Department's First Deputy Supt. Eric Carter said someone in a black vehicle, speeding west, opened fire at the attendees around 6.30 p.m. local time (7.30 p.m. EDT) following which the people at the funeral fired back and the vehicle crashed a short distance away. Those inside the vehicle immediately ran away. The motive behind the shooting was not known.

The injured persons were taken to five different hospitals in the area and their conditions were not known. While 11 of them were transported from the scene by the fire department, the remaining three were self-transported to the hospitals.

Speaking to NBC Chicago, several residents in the area said they heard gunshots and then saw victims in the street.

"All we saw was just bodies laying everywhere. Shot up everywhere, all over. Legs, stomach, back, all over the place. We thought it was a war out here," witness Arnita Geder said.

"We saw a car with about six bullet holes in it and it was turned facing the grass like he lost control. We saw a hat down on the ground and evidently it was his," Kenneth Hughes, another witness, told the channel.

Police confirmed one person of interest was in custody, however, investigators were determining the actual number of shooters.

Hours before the incident, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had said President Donald Trump was sending federal agents to Chicago to deal with the spike in violent crimes.

"Under no circumstances will I allow Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize our residents," the mayor tweeted.

The FBI said they were looking for one suspect in the shooting
Representational image AFP / Johannes EISELE