A tragic scene unfolded in downtown Chicago Friday night after two separate shootings left a 14-year-old boy dead and eight other people hurt. The teen who lost his life has been identified as Armani Floyd, and the Cook County medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 11 p.m.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Saturday that the loss of another young life is devastating. “No parent wants to get that terrible, life-altering call,” he said, calling the violence senseless and heartbreaking.
Police say Floyd and an 18-year-old man were found lying on the street on South Dearborn after shots were fired. Surveillance video reportedly shows groups of teens hanging out in the street before suddenly running in all directions. Officers recovered multiple 9-mm shell casings at the scene. The older teen was taken to the hospital in serious condition.
Less than an hour earlier just blocks away another shooting broke out near the Chicago Theatre on North State Street. An unknown shooter opened fire into a crowd of teens, injuring seven kids between ages 13 and 17. They were taken to several hospitals and are expected to recover. Some had graze wounds, while others were hit in the legs.
Both shootings are believed to be connected to a planned “teen takeover” event that spread widely on social media after the annual tree-lighting celebration at Millennium Park. Videos online even warned people to stay away from the Loop that night.
Police say some of the teens came from suburbs as far as Dolton and Evanston.
For many Chicago families, the night ended in fear and heartbreak and for one family, an unimaginable loss.
