On August 13, 2023, an 18-year-old man named Tyshon Johnson was fatally shot in a mass shooting incident in Washington Park, Chicago. The shooting occurred around 8:20 p.m. in the 5700 block of South Payne Drive, near the east end of the park and just west of Cottage Grove Avenue, close to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
The incident began with a fight between a group of women, which escalated when a male offender pulled out a gun and started firing.
Tyshon Johnson, who was attempting to break up the fight, was among the four people shot. The other victims included a 16-year-old boy, another 18-year-old man, and a 52-year-old man. Johnson was shot in the thigh and buttocks, while the 52-year-old man was shot in the face and chest and remained in critical condition. The 16-year-old boy and the other 18-year-old man were struck in the leg and leg and torso, respectively, and were reported in fair condition.
All the victims were rushed to the nearby University of Chicago Medical Center, where Tyshon Johnson was pronounced dead. Johnson was a student at Englewood STEM High School and was looking forward to his senior year. His mother, Yolanda, expressed her grief, noting that her son had been motivated to complete his senior year in memory of his girlfriend, Deshawnay Yoakum, who was also killed in a shooting in March 2023.
Another victim, Aaron Rogers, a 52-year-old man, was riding his bike through the park when he was caught in the crossfire. He was shot in the chin and torso but managed to bike himself to the hospital. Rogers described hearing the fight and then gunshots, and he realized he was shot when he saw blood on his glasses and a hole in his bike jersey. He was treated at the same hospital as Johnson and other victims.
As of the latest reports, no one has been arrested in connection with the shooting. The Area One detectives were still investigating the incident, and the police were seeking any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of the shooter.
