A shooting early Sunday morning near a shopping mall in a Chicago suburb killed one person and injured 22 others. According to authorities, the violent incident occurred while a group of people were gathered peacefully celebrating Juneteenth.
The DuPage County Sheriff's Office explained that the celebration began around 6 p.m. (local time) on Saturday, but it was around 12:25 a.m. that gunshots were heard.
Willowbrook Illinois police officers were monitoring the area, which allowed them to arrive on the scene quickly. When they followed the sounds of gunfire, they realized that the shooting was taking place in the parking lot of a shopping center where there was a peaceful gathering.
"The motive behind this incident is unclear, and this is still an active investigation," said DuPage County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Eric Swanson.
According to police, an unknown number of suspects fired several shots from different weapons at the people who were celebrating, leaving at least 22 people injured and one dead.
At least one person was killed and 22 others wounded in a shooting Sunday at a large Juneteenth celebration in a strip mall parking lot in Willowbrook, Illinois, officials said. The motive behind the shooting was unclear and no suspects were in custody. https://t.co/iRE8xOEe60
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About 12 ambulances were on the scene to help the victims. Several of the injured were rushed to area hospitals, but other victims left on their own. Tri-State Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Joe Ostrander indicated that injuries ranged from scratches to more serious gunshot wounds. He noted that two people were transported in critical condition.
No further information has yet been released on the victims' names, ages or conditions, nor is there any information on any suspects. However, this shooting has already added to the dozen or so mass shootings this weekend alone in the country. According to the Armed Violence Archive, 310 shootings have been recorded this year.
