On the afternoon of Friday, April 17, 2026, Rickia Williams, a 32-year-old woman, was fatally shot in a mass shooting in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. The incident unfolded at approximately 4:45 p.m. in the 4000 block of West Maypole Avenue, near the corner of Pulaski Road. Williams was standing on the sidewalk with a group of people outside a barbershop and a convenience store when a vehicle pulled up.
At least two assailants exited the vehicle and opened fire on the
group. Williams was shot in the head and rushed to Stroger Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The attack also claimed the lives of two men, 36-year-old Lavell Lee and 27-year-old Kenneth M. Bell Jr. A fourth victim, a 35-year-old man, was critically wounded in the shooting.
As of now, the suspects who fled the scene remain at large, and no arrests have been made in connection to the shooting. Area 4 detectives are actively investigating the case. In an effort to find those responsible, Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest. The investigation is ongoing.
