6 injured, 1 dead in South Side Chicago park gunfight

One person was killed and six were injured when a gunfight broke out near a baseball field in a Chicago park Tuesday evening, authorities said.

The gunfire erupted in Washington Park on the city’s South Side around 7:45 p.m. after two feuding groups had a “personal altercation,” Chicago Police Deputy Chief Fred Melean said at a press conference.

The victims were all adults and no innocent bystanders appeared to be hit in the crossfire, according to Melean.

The shooting happened two days before the UniverSoul Circus was set to kick off a twelve date residency at the park.

Officials told families they would not have to worry about gun violence when attending Thursday night’s performance.

“When the circus is operating they have more security there, we have staff that patrols the park, so the circus is safe to come to,” Melean advised.

Cops offered a $15,000 reward for information that led to the arrest of the killer and other shooters.

Chicago had recorded 469 murders so far in 2022, a 15% decrease from the same time last year, according to police statistics.