Aug 1, 2009 6:15 pm US/Central
6 Wounded in Funeral Shooting on West Side
Gunman Still on the Loose; 5 Remain in Good Condition, 1 in Serious
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Six people were shot August 1 during a funeral service outside a West Side church. Police say the incident is gang-related.
CBS
Gunfire erupts outside a funeral, police think they might know why.
The service was just starting at a West Side church, when someone opened fire outside – shooting six people.
The reverend was shocked to see his service interrupted by that kind of violence.
"This is broad daylight and anybody could have been hurt. This is very unfortunate," said Rev. Renaldo Kyles.
Police say the shooting was gang-related. CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.
Six people were shot – four men and two women. As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, a 34-year-old man was at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in serious condition, two men, ages 27 and 37 were listed in good condition at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, a 45-year-old woman was at Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, a 35-year-old man was in good condition at Rush University Medical Center and a 27-year-old woman was at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park in good condition, police said.
Those attending the funeral are just stunned by the boldness of the shooter.
"It's sad, because they have no respect for the dead and none for the living, and it's also sad they did it in front of a church," said Delionel Nash, a cousin of the deceased.
The funeral of 28-year-old Cornelius Antwon Robinson was taking place in a West Side church. Outside, mourners were gathered. A person walked up to a man on the sidewalk, pressed a gun into his abdomen and shot him five times. Then the person started shooting at the people around the man he targeted. A total of six people were shot.
"There was a time when the church was sacred and people don't even have respect for the House of God anymore – it's just very tragic," Kyles said.
"I think it's totally disrespectful…the individual that's laying in there, he wasn't about that, he wasn't like that," said mourner Keyonna Kyles.
The Gospel Truth Life Church at 5301 W. Madison was filled with an overflow crowd — with more funeral attendees standing outside when shots were fired at around noon, Chicago police said.
"We were clapping our hands and praising the Lord when the shots started and we hit the floor," said a woman who had been inside the church attending the funeral.
"It's obvious somebody was out for revenge," said the woman, who did not want to give her name.
Police say Robinson, who died of a heart attack, was an admitted gang member. Sources say he has at least 15 arrests for multiple crimes. Police say the shooting outside Robinson's funeral, was gang-related. Police say right now, they know the target of the shooting was a gang member. It's believed some of the people who were hit, could have been innocent bystanders, while others were gang members.
"We has a couple of witnesses who are cooperating, most of the witnesses that are out there, are not cooperating," said Deputy Chief Roberto Zavala of the Area 5 Chicago Police Department.
The gunman remains on the loose. Police are looking at video from two pod cameras in the area to help find him.
The STNG Wire contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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