- Credibility:
CHICAGO — More than $15,000 has been raised as reward for information about the killings of two mothers last week in Auburn Gresham.
The women, 35-year-old Andrea Stoudemire and 26-year-old Chantell Grant, were gunned down Friday while standing at the corner of 75th street and Stewart Avenue. That corner is the same spot where Mothers Against Senseless Killings (MASK) has volunteers barbecue and host events every day during the summer in a bid to stop violence.
Hoping to get information about the fatal shooting, which also resulted in two men being wounded, the group’s founder created a GoFundMe to raise money for a reward. The original goal was just $5,000, but it’s raised more than $15,100 as of Wednesday morning.
The group plans to use the money to reward people who share information about the slayings.
MASK founder Tamar Manasseh said she wants additional police monitoring the corner, because she won’t be scared away.
“Why should I be the one walking around like I did something wrong?” asked Manasseh. “This is my home. I ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
No one has been charged yet, but police said they have leads and don’t believe the women were the intended targets.
The shooting has captured national attention, as both slain moms volunteered with the group and brought their kids to its events, according to organizers.
On Tuesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the killings “sad and horrifying.”
Police said the shooting happened at 9:58 p.m. in the 7500 block of South Stewart Avenue: The victims were standing on the sidewalk when someone in a blue SUV drove up to them and a person in the car fired shots.
Officers went to the scene and found three victims. Two women, 26 and 35, had been shot several times in their chests and were taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.
The 26-year-old woman was identified as Grant, of the 7700 block of South Evans Avenue, and the 35-year-old woman was identified as Stoudemire, of the 7500 block of South Stewart Avenue, in Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office records and by organizers.
A man, 58, had cuts to his arm from falling to the ground and was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition. Another man, 30, was shot in his arm and he took himself to St. Bernard Hospital. His condition was not available but he was listed as “stable,” police said.
No one was in custody. An investigation was ongoing.
Manasseh hopes the reward will lead to justice for Grant and Stoudemire, but wants to see increased security for her community right away.
“If this area is such a hot spot, why isn’t it being monitored 24/7? Why are the cameras not working?” asked Manasseh. “Hot spots up north are monitored. Why can’t we get that here?”
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