2 armed robberies proceed into home invasions overnight on city’s Southwest Side, one ends in exchange of gunfire

CHICAGO — Two armed robberies proceeded into home invasions within about 20 minutes — one leading to an exchange of gunfire — on the city’s Southwest Side overnight, according to Chicago police.

The robberies happened near each other, police say, one in the 6200 block of South Kolin Avenue, in the West Lawn neighborhood, just before 1:30 a.m. Thursday and the other near the intersection of West 59th Place and South Spaulding Avenue in the Gage Park neighborhood, just before 1:45 a.m. Thursday.

One of the victims in the first incident, a 56-year-old woman, told WGN she pleaded with the armed robbers to take anything they wanted, just not to hurt her son. That incident ended in her home, she said, after the offenders exchanged fire with her brother, who the woman says has a CCL license.

In that incident, according to police, the 56-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man were in a vehicle when they were approached by two armed male offenders, who demanded their property.

The woman told WGN her son was getting ready to drive her to work, but they never left their parking spot.

“They came in the wrong way,” the woman said. “They just pulled up. They came out with their guns, and they were asking for money.”

Police say the offenders robbed the victims then proceeded to follow them into a home, where they demanded more property. There was an exchange of gunfire inside the home, according to police, and the offenders fled. Police recovered a firearm, and no injuries were reported.

The woman said she didn’t remember much from the scary incident, but she did say the suspects wore all black and masks. And she recounted some of the harrowing moments inside the home before the offenders fled after gunfire was exchanged.

“I just remember yelling, screaming, and the next thing you know, I hear the guns right by my ear,” she said. “It was so loud. All I could hear was my brother say, ‘Get down.’

“… From what I hear, my brother said that they had the gun pointed behind me.”

Less than 30 minutes later, in the second incident, police say a 17-year-old male was getting out of his vehicle when a black SUV pulled up behind him. Two armed male offenders approached and demanded property.

Police say the offenders then forced the victim to a home, where they robbed him before fleeing in the black SUV. No gunshots were fired in that incident.

Police not announced an arrest in the investigation of the two incidents, and they have also not yet said if they believe the two are connected.

Meanwhile, the woman in the first incident said she’s shaken up but grateful nobody was hurt.

“We’re hanging in there,” she said. “It’s definitely something that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.

“But I’m just so grateful to God that everybody’s safe.”

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