It is nothing short of a miracle that no lives were lost early last Saturday when gunfire erupted just steps from St. Sabina Church. Around 2 a.m., seven youth—males between the ages of 17 and 19—were wounded as unknown occupants in a Jeep unleashed a hail of bullets from all four windows into a crowd of hundreds who had gathered to celebrate a high school graduation near 78th and Racine. One of the victims remains in serious condition.
The attack, described by Father Michael Pfleger as “cowardly and senseless,” left the Auburn Gresham community reeling. Chicago police say no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Father Pfleger noted that in the chaos, someone in the crowd began firing back at the vehicle. “It’s a miracle no one was killed,” he told reporters.
In an urgent effort to generate leads, Father Pfleger immediately offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooters. Standing before reporters outside St. Sabina Church on Sunday, June 1, Pfleger declared, “We have to protect our children,” before asking his congregation to help canvas the neighborhood with reward flyers…