9-year-old girl shot Sunday recovering

By Admin on July 21, 2009

One of several bullets fired in a burst of violence on the streets of Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood Sunday left a 9-year-old limping toward her mother for help.

Renita Williams was in her cousin’s backyard in the 1000 block of North Leclaire Avenue eating a hamburger when she heard five or six shots from out front.

Then she heard screams.

When she ran out front, she saw her daughter, Cathy Haywood, coming toward her.

“She was trying to limp to me,” the 30-year-old mother said. “I knew they were shooting. I heard the shots. I ran to get my child. [But] I still didn’t think my child would have been shot.”

The family, who had gathered for a three-day party to celebrate birthdays and other events, put the little girl on a lounge chair in the yard and wrapped her wound with a sweater, Williams said.

The girl was one of nine people shot in about three hours Sunday night and early Monday in four incidents. A 17-year-old also was shot on Leclaire.

None of the victims died in the outburst, which started about 7:30 p.m. when five people were shot in the 5500 block of West Monroe Street. A man was shot near North Mayfield Avenue and West Midway Park. Another person was shot at a park near Pine Avenue and Kinzie Street.

Investigators say there is no connection among the shootings and a lot of help is needed in solving all of them. They are believed to be gang-related or over spots to sell narcotics.

Cathy was recovering at Mt. Sinai Hospital, with a procedure planned for Tuesday morning to clean the wound and determine whether there is joint damage, her mother said.

– Annie Sweeney

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