A tragic shooting took place early Tuesday morning in Chicago’s Far South Side, leaving a 77-year-old man dead. The victim, Alfred Shelton, was inside his home when bullets tore through the house, hitting him in the head and neck. Police officers patrolling the area heard the gunfire around 3:10 a.m. and found Shelton unresponsive on the first floor of the home. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Frightening Wake-Up Call for Neighbors
Renea Jackson, a resident who lives nearby, was dozing off when she was startled by the sound of gunshots.
“I jumped because it sounded like it was right outside my porch,” Jackson, 52, said. At first, she thought the noise was from firecrackers. “I wondered, ‘Who’s lighting fireworks at 3 in the morning?’” It wasn’t until later that morning that her daughter told her about the shooting.
Gunfire Caught on Camera
Surveillance footage from a home near 109th Street and Indiana Avenue showed a vehicle pulling up to the house before unleashing about 10 rapid gunshots. After a short pause, four more shots were fired.
Carmelita Hollister, 68, who has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, provided the footage to detectives. She installed security cameras after someone stole her Christmas decorations. Hollister described the area as feeling like “the wild, wild West” due to ongoing violence.
Authorities found at least 10 bullet holes in the first-floor window of the home. A man, visibly upset, was seen outside gesturing with his fingers shaped like a gun toward the bullet holes before walking inside.
Community in Shock and Fear
Jackson, who has lived in the area for five years, is now considering moving due to the violence.
“It’s scary and confusing,” she said. “I want to leave Chicago, but my children have lived here their whole lives.”
Although others were inside the home at the time of the shooting, no one else was injured. Police are continuing their investigation, but no arrests have been made yet.
Detectives canvassed the neighborhood Tuesday morning, searching for clues to help solve this tragic case.
