On Sunday, August 4, 2024, in the early morning, a disagreement near Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp in the Armour Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, escalated into a deadly shooting. This incident, which took place around 3 a.m., resulted in one fatality and three injuries, as reported by the Chicago Police Department.
The conflict initially started with a verbal dispute between two groups of men. It soon escalated into a physical altercation, culminating in gunfire. A 39-year-old man, identified as Joseph Garcia, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three other men were injured in the incident. A 27-year-old man, critically wounded with multiple gunshot injuries, admitted himself to a nearby hospital. Another 34-year-old man, shot in the leg, was transported to a hospital and is reported to be in stable condition. A 21-year-old man, who sustained a gunshot wound to his left calf, managed to get to a hospital on his own and is in good health.
The Chicago police responded promptly, securing the area and extending the crime scene to nearby properties as they found shell casings scattered across the parking lot. Police believe the incident was related to gang violence.
According to eyewitnesses, the suspect, described as a Hispanic male in his late teens or early twenties with a shaggy haircut, escaped the scene with a female companion in a white SUV.
The investigation is underway by Area One detectives, although no arrests have been made till now.
An onlooker, who claimed to be a friend of the deceased and was there earlier with his teenage children, witnessed the horrific incident unfold.
Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp, a local favorite at 2120 South Canal Street since 1950 known for its fried seafood, remained operational and continued serving customers despite the violent event.
In another incident later in the morning at around 5 a.m., five men independently arrived at the University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment of gunshot wounds. This shooting reportedly took place in Washington Park, in the 5100 block of South Calumet Avenue.
The victims, aged between 24 to 32, suffered varying injuries. A 25-year-old man had wounds to his lower body, and a 24-year-old was shot in the back. A 32-year-old man had a grazing wound to his right arm. Two 26-year-old men were also among the injured, with one shot in the chin and the other in the thumb.
The five men were reluctant to share information about the incident, according to law enforcement officials. The investigation into this shooting, along with the earlier incident, is being conducted by Area 1 detectives, who are trying to understand the circumstances surrounding both events.
Chicago, Illinois, continues to grapple with the issue of gun violence. The police are working tirelessly to investigate these shootings, in hopes of bringing the guilty to justice and providing answers to the bereaved family and concerned community.
