Sunday 26 June 2022 10:27 PM Fury as five-month-old baby girl becomes latest Chicago homicide victim trends now
Furious Chicago residents are demanding action after a five-month-old baby became the latest homicide victim during a crime-filled weekend in the Windy City.
The baby, Cecilia Thomas, awas traveling in a car with her father when she was shot in the head in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood Friday night.
Police say Thomas was killed after an unidentified woman who opened fire on the family's car in a drive-by shooting. The baby was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
A 41-year-old man, traveling in a separate car, was also struck in the incident and suffered a gunshot wound to the eye. He was said to be in stable condition.
The shooter fled the scene and police have no suspects in custody at this time. Community activist Ja'Mal Green, who is running for mayor, is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of Thomas' killer.
Meanwhile, outraged residents are calling on lawmakers to take action after at least 20 people were shot in the crime-ridden city over the weekend.
CBS News named Chicago, which has a murder rate 18.26 per 100,000 citizens, the 28th deadliest city in America earlier this year.
Five-month-old Cecilia Thomas was traveling in a car with her father when she was shot in the head in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood Friday night
Thomas was killed after an unidentified woman opened fire on the family's car in an apparent drive-by shooting
Thomas was taken to nearby Comer Children's Hospital, where she later died from her injuries. The medical examiner's office said she died from a gunshot wound to the head
Thomas' father was driving home around 6.45pm Friday when shots rang out in the 7700 block of South Shore Drive.
The concerned dad pulled over near the intersection of 71st Street and Candon Avenue after Thomas began crying, a witness told ABC 7.
He summoned for help and Thomas was taken to Comer Children's Hospital, where she later passed away. The medical examiner's office said she died from a gunshot wound to the head.
At least a dozen of the infant's family members gathered outside the hospital while doctors attempted to save her life.
'I hope y'all catch whoever did this,' a woman screamed at the scene. 'Took that d**n baby's life.'
Crisis responder Andrew Holmes, who spoke to the baby's mother, said she was heartbroken and 'distraught.'
'That's a five-month-old baby,' he said. 'Nine months she carried that baby, nourished that baby. And it take a damn fool to discharge that weapon and take baby's life.'
He then addressed the shooter: 'I hope you don't have no children yourself. Because if you do, you shouldn't sleep at night, you should just turn yourself here knowing you got to look at your child every night. And you done take this lady's child.'
'The baby rested right now, but ain't gonna be no peace with that family the rest of their life.'
Jackie, a nurse working at the hospital when EMS brought Thomas in, described the scene as shocking.
'I've never in my 61 years of life seen anything like this,' she told the TV station. 'You never know what it's like to have a broken heart until you go through it.'
The nurse also lost two of her own children to gunfire and said a third was left paralyzed after being shot at a party.
