Gregory Crawford, a 35-year-old African American man from Maywood, Illinois, was tragically killed in a shooting on July 19, 2020, in Chicago's Loop. The incident occurred around 2:35 a.m. while Crawford was riding in a vehicle with a woman. As they were heading north in the 300 block of North Wabash Avenue, they encountered a group of males on the east side of the bridge over the Chicago River, who were arguing with someone in the middle of the street.
Suddenly, the man in the street began shooting towards the group of men on the bridge, but instead hit Crawford and the woman he was with. Crawford was fatally shot in the neck, while the woman sustained serious injuries, being shot in both of her arms.
The investigation into Gregory Crawford's death led to significant developments. Deandre Lewis, a 23-year-old man, was identified as a key suspect in the case. According to prosecutors, Lewis instigated the fight that led to the fatal shooting. He was part of a group that got into a confrontation with a 27-year-old man near Trump Tower. During the altercation, Lewis threw a punch at the man, prompting others in his group to join in the attack. As the man tried to escape, he ran onto the bridge over the Chicago River and attempted to hide behind cars. Lewis continued to point out the man and urged two armed members of his group to open fire. Gregory Crawford, who was a passenger in a gray Honda on the bridge, saw the intended target of the shooting and asked if he needed help. When the man replied that he thought he was going to be shot, Crawford told him to get into the car. Before the man could climb inside, Lewis and another gunman opened fire at the Honda, striking Crawford in the neck and the woman in the left arm.
Lewis was arrested in Rockford and charged with first-degree murder. During his custody, he identified himself in surveillance footage of the encounter. He was also found to be wanted on a warrant in Winnebago County for aggravated domestic battery. Gregory Charles, another member of the group, was also charged with Crawford's murder in January and continues to be held without bail. The case against Lewis and Charles highlights the tragic consequences of gun violence and the ripple effects it has on the lives of innocent bystanders.
