Victims of shooting in Chicago/Photo courtesy of NBC Chicago
Two young sisters were shot, and one was killed on Chicago’s Northwest side on Sunday. Police would not say if the shooting was the result of a drive-by shooting. However, they do not believe the girls were the intended targets.
One of the sisters, six-year-old Aubrey Broughton, was critically injured and remained hospitalized and “fighting for her life,” reported WGN-TV.
The other sister, seven-year-old Serenity, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds to her chest.
According to authorities, at around 2:50 p.m. in the Belmont Central neighborhood, the sisters were secured by their mother in their family’s car after visiting relatives after church. Shots rang out, and a hail of bullets rained down on the car where the children sat.
“Like a machine gun going off, like, you know what I mean, like two people shooting at each other or something,” said a witness identified only as Alberto.
Although police have not used the term “drive-by” to describe what happened, the distraught father of the sisters, Michael Broughton, said he is not gang-affiliated and does not know why someone would carry out such a horrific act.
“I’m not [sic] no gangbanger. I’m not out here doing the wrong thing. I’m a CTA worker. I’m a bus driver,” he said.
The bullet-ridden car is still sitting where it was when the young sisters were initially accosted. Neighbors have set up a small memorial at the site of the shooting.
In the meantime, Michael Broughton had to break the news to Aubrey, who is alert that her sister was killed.
Chicago Chief of Police expressed that he was outraged and saddened by the incident. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot took to Twitter to give her condolences and the need to unite against the gangs that “have no regard for the sanctity of life.”
A $2,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the parties responsible.