On January 26, 2024, a tragic shooting occurred in the Loop area of downtown Chicago, resulting in the deaths of two teenage students, Monterio Williams, 17, and Robert Boston, 16. The incident happened during the lunch hour, a time when the area is typically crowded with tourists, students, workers, and commuters.
The victims were students at Innovations High School, a Chicago Public Schools charter school located at 17 N. State St.
According to witnesses and surveillance video, the shooting occurred as the teens were exiting the school. Two vehicles, a dark-colored sedan and a sport-utility vehicle (SUV), pulled up along Wabash Avenue near the Washington/Wabash Loop 'L' stop. Multiple individuals got out of the vehicles and opened fire on the group of students, striking Monterio and Robert. There was no confrontation before the shooting.
Monterio Williams was shot in the right hip and chest, while Robert Boston was shot in the chest. Both teens were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. A woman walking by, Berenice Vargas, had her jacket grazed by a bullet but did not seek medical treatment.
The surveillance video captured the moments leading up to and during the shooting, showing the teens walking as the dark-colored SUV pulled up underneath the train tracks. At least one person can be seen running from the car and ambushing the victims before returning to the SUV, which then drove away south on Wabash Avenue and turned west on Madison Street.
The community and authorities have been deeply affected by the incident. Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Bill Conway (34th) issued statements expressing their condolences and emphasizing the need to address gun violence in Chicago. Community activist Andrew Holmes met with the families of the victims and described the devastating impact on them. The school community at Innovations High School is also grappling with the trauma caused by this senseless act of violence.
As of the current date, no arrests have been made, and the Chicago Police Department continues to investigate the incident. They are reviewing CTA camera footage and other security videos to identify the suspects. The police are looking for multiple individuals involved in the shooting and are asking anyone with information to contact Area 3 police detectives.
