Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
CHICAGO — A family member who opened fire toward shooters who wounded his 17-year-old cousin on the city’s Lower West Side provided a clearer picture of the events that led up to the attack.
The 21-year-old man, who did not wish to be identified, said he and his family were celebrating a relative’s birthday Tuesday night along the 1800 block of W. 21st Place.
“It was my grandmother’s birthday,” he said.
Some of the relatives had gone to the alley at the back of the house to check out another cousin’s new car.
Then the family heard what they thought were firecrackers.
“I see my cousin’s face turn weird and I look to the right and see two gunmen at the end of the alley,” he said.
The family member said bullets started hurling toward them.
“We start hearing [whizzing sound] and then the light post starting making all these weird noises, so we’re like, ‘oh, this is serious,'” the man said.
The man, a concealed carry license holder, pulled out his gun.
“I started shooting,” he said. “I stood my ground. I didn’t even move. I stood my ground to defend my family.”
As the attackers fled, the man said his 13-year-old cousin was lying in a pool of blood. The boy had been shot in the right temple. The teen was immediately rushed to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
“When he got shot, he was still breathing,” the family member said. “He got shot twice in the head and was still breathing.”
But the man shared a little bit of good news Wednesday night.
“His brother called us,’ he said. “[The 13-year-old] opened his eyes and he has a little movement, so he’s doing good and thank God I had faith. I just want him to get better.”