2 women die, 3 children critically wounded in shooting, police say

CHICAGO (Gray News) - The South Side of Chicago was "a scene of another tragedy" on the Fourth of July, Chicago Deputy Chief Don Jerome said.

Two women are dead and three children are wounded after people from two vehicles shot into a residence in the Grand Crossing neighborhood at around 6:15 a.m. Thursday, Jerome said in a news conference.

The women who died were 22 and 42 years old, Jerome said, and the three boys were ages 5, 7 and 8. Their identities and relationships were not disclosed.

The boys were taken to Comer Children's Hospital and are in critical condition, he said.

The shooting is believed to have stemmed from some sort of personal dispute, Jerome said.

The investigation is ongoing, and no suspect is yet in custody, police said.

All of the shooting victims are believed to have been inside the house when the gunfire started, the deputy chief said.

Jerome said multiple shell casings from a rifle and a handgun were found at the scene.

Desmon Yancy, the alderperson representing Grand Crossing, said he was unaware of any issues that may have led to the shooting, the Associated Press reported. The neighborhood "is a relatively quiet community and isn't really used to this sort of violence."

"Personal conflict and guns have become a bad combination," Yancy said. "The summer is just getting started, and I don't want to stand in front of another group of microphones and have another discussion about the pain that's caused in our communities, this violence. This has to stop."