CHICAGO, IL — Terror unfolded on a CTA bus Friday afternoon in Chicago’s South Side when a gunman opened fire in broad daylight, striking a female passenger and sending dozens of bystanders—including high school students—scrambling for safety.
The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at the busy intersection of East 39th Street and South King Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The timing of the shooting caused immediate chaos, as nearby Wendell Phillips High School was dismissing students for the day, forcing the campus into a brief, panicked lockdown.
The Shooting: “A Brazen Act of Violence”
According to Chicago Police (CPD) and eyewitness video, the gunman was standing on the street in the 3900 block of South King Drive, directly across from a Mariano’s grocery store, when he unleashed a hail of gunfire toward a stopped CTA bus.
Witnesses described a scene of pure “pandemonium.” Video footage shows passengers inside the bus ducking under seats and pedestrians on the sidewalk running for their lives as the “clap, clap” of gunfire echoed through the air.
While it appears the gunman was targeting a specific individual on the bus, his bullets instead struck an innocent bystander.
Innocent Passenger Wounded
A 37-year-old woman riding the bus was struck in the leg. Citizen App footage captured the moment the conscious victim was wheeled off the bus by emergency responders. She was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where officials say she is in good condition and expected to survive.
“I don’t think the lady was the target. I think it was probably somebody else on the bus,” said Eric Lewis, a former Marine who witnessed the shooting from a few feet away.
Former Marine Gives Chase
The tragedy could have been worse if not for the quick instincts of local residents. Lewis, drawing on his military training, attempted to apprehend the shooter himself.
“I seen the young man with the gun in his hand, and I was trying to chase him,” Lewis told reporters. However, the suspect managed to escape by weaving through nearby alleys and gangways, disappearing before police could establish a perimeter.
A Community Under Siege
Residents of Bronzeville are expressing growing frustration over the “escalation of activity” in their neighborhood. This shooting comes just two weeks after another violent incident at a nearby LA Fitness parking lot.
“All of these different escalations of activity, of crime, of shooting—it plagues us,” said Andre Anthony, a local barbershop owner who initially mistook the gunfire for a car crash.
Investigation Ongoing: No Arrests Made
As of Saturday morning, the shooter remains at large. Chicago Police had King Drive blocked off between Pershing and 40th Street for several hours on Friday to process the scene and interview witnesses.
Suspect Description: Police are looking for a young male last seen running through the alleys near 39th Street. No arrests have been made, and Area One Detectives are currently investigating.
STAY ALERT: If you have any information regarding this shooting, please contact the Chicago Police Department or submit an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.
What do you think? Should there be more armed security on CTA buses, or is this a broader issue of street violence spilling into public transit? Voice your opinion in the comments below.
