Chicago Mass Shooting
SUV Opens Fire on Chicago Crowd, Wounding 12 and Leaving Two Critical
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A red SUV pulled up to a Juneteenth celebration on Chicago's South Side late Friday night and opened fire into the crowd, wounding at least 12 people. Two remain in critical condition, Chicago Police confirmed. The attack happened around 11:10 PM on the 200 block of West 95th Street in the Roseland neighborhood, with investigators recovering more than 100 shell casings from the scene.
The victims range in age from 17 to 47. Eight men and four women were struck by gunfire and treated at four area hospitals. A 13th person refused medical treatment. The shooting came just hours after former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama greeted visitors at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center, located just miles away on the same South Side.
Two Gunmen Opened Fire From a Moving SUV
Chicago police say two occupants inside the red SUV fired into the crowd before fleeing. The shooting took place during a Juneteenth street gathering. Over 100 evidence markers were placed at the scene — a sign of how many rounds were fired in a short time, according to CWB Chicago. One victim at the University of Chicago Hospital was struck in the body. Another suffered a thigh wound. Both are listed in critical condition.
Violence prevention advocate Irion Meadows was nearby when the shots rang out. "It was just a lot of bop-bop-bop-bop," he told CBS News. He said the attack "does a disservice to the community and what Juneteenth is supposed to stand for." Pastor Donovan Price, a victim advocate, put it plainly: "Fireworks should not turn into gunshots."
Mayor Johnson Defends His Record Amid Renewed Pressure
Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the shooting on Saturday at a Juneteenth "Day of Action" rally. "Last night was another reminder of how much work we still have to do," he said, according to WLS. He added that his administration is "working overtime not only to hold people accountable but to remove illegal guns." Johnson also cited a 25% drop in robberies and a 15% drop in carjackings in 2026 as signs that his broader safety strategy is working.
Critics are not convinced. City Council members have targeted Johnson over a key gap in the city's safety net: Chicago ended its ShotSpotter contract in September 2024. ShotSpotter was a system that used sensors to detect and locate gunshots automatically. A replacement has not been found. Officials say a new contract could be eight months away, according to CBS News.
A Bloody Juneteenth Weekend Across the City
The 95th Street shooting was the most violent single incident of the holiday weekend, but not the only one. By Sunday morning, at least 6 people had been killed and 29 others injured in separate shootings across Chicago, according to CBS News. The city had recorded 167 homicides through May 31, 2026 — a 6% increase over the same period in 2025, per WTTW News.
That rise comes after 2025 delivered a milestone: Chicago's lowest homicide total in 60 years. The cautious optimism from that record has dimmed. Community leaders in Roseland had held a peace march as recently as May 23 in an effort to head off summer violence. It did not hold.
Obama Center Opening Shadowed by Nearby Violence
The contrast on Juneteenth was sharp. Earlier that day, the Obamas made a surprise appearance at the Obama Presidential Center, greeting the first visitors and reading to children in the new library branch, according to CBS News. The $700 million center, which opened its doors on June 18, sits just a few miles from where the mass shooting took place hours later.
Analysts and residents alike have pointed to the gap between large civic investment and daily safety on the streets. Community groups like the Roseland Ceasefire Project say federal cuts to violence prevention programs have made it harder to stop retaliatory shootings before they happen. No arrests had been announced as of Sunday morning. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
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