A young mother was fatally shot as her 2-year-old son, his father and another man were caught in gunfire Wednesday afternoon in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side.

       The four victims were all shot by gunmen just before 3:15 p.m. in the 1200 block of West 81st Street, according to Chicago police.

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       The boy’s parents, a 23-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, were standing on the sidewalk with the child when several gunmen exited a black vehicle and opened fire in their direction, Brian McDermott, Chicago police chief of patrol, told reporters at the scene on Wednesday afternoon.

       The volley of shots struck the woman multiple times, and the feet of both the boy and his father, said McDermott, who was flanked by police brass and St. Sabina senior pastor, the Rev. Michael Pfleger.

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       A fourth man, aged 62, was struck in the back by gunfire, authorities said.

       The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition and is expected to recover, McDermott said.

       The woman, whose identity wasn’t released, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where she later died, police said. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

       The oldest victim was also taken to an area hospital, where his condition stabilized, authorities said.

       Police did not offer a motive or say who they believe was the intended target. No arrests had been made, as police detectives canvassed the area of the shooting for surveillance video that could lead to the gunmen.

       Police have contended with numerous mass shootings involving two or more people since the start of summer. One of the latest occurred Sunday when a woman was killed and eight others wounded during a shooting in the North Lawndale neighborhood.

       Originally Published: Aug 02, 2023 at 5:08 pm