Police said gunfire came from a dark SUV on South Throop Street.
CHICAGO, Ill. — A 17-year-old boy was killed and two men were critically wounded Tuesday morning when a gunman opened fire from a dark SUV in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Chicago police said.
The shooting happened about 7:40 a.m. in the 5000 block of South Throop Street, a residential area on the South Side. Police said the teen was walking outside when the vehicle pulled up and someone got out and fired. Two men, ages 55 and 61, were sitting in a nearby vehicle and also were struck.
The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Family members identified him as Pedro Ramirez, a Tilden High School student. The two men were taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. Police said detectives were reviewing the shooting and a person of interest was later in custody, but officials had not announced formal charges.
Witnesses described a fast burst of gunfire in the morning quiet. One woman who asked not to be named said the shots were so loud that her son told her to get down. She said she later saw emergency workers trying to save the teen. Shell casings and evidence markers covered the street after police blocked off the area.
The two wounded men drove from the shooting scene to an auto repair shop on South Ashland Avenue. A worker who gave his name as Leo said he first thought the red minivan needed service. Then the driver asked for help and asked him to call paramedics. The vehicle’s rear window had been shot out.
The shooting happened a few blocks from Peace and Education Coalition High School and not far from Tilden High School, where relatives and friends said Ramirez was a strong student and athlete. Loved ones said he was walking to a bus stop on his way to school when he was shot.
Friends and family gathered near South Throop and West 50th streets as a small memorial grew. They described Ramirez as an honor roll student, soccer captain and volleyball player. Chicago Public Schools said it was saddened by the loss and would provide support services to students and staff affected by the killing.
Police have not said what led to the shooting or whether Ramirez was targeted. Area detectives continued to investigate the attack, the route of the SUV and the role of the person in custody.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.