Multiple gunmen opened fire near a Chicago alley before a wounded driver crashed her vehicle into a CTA bus.
CHICAGO — An 18-year-old man was killed and six other people were wounded Sunday when multiple gunmen opened fire on a group near an alley in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Chicago police said. A woman struck by gunfire while driving nearby later crashed into a Chicago Transit Authority bus.
The shooting happened about 12:17 p.m. Sept. 13 in the 700 block of North Christiana Avenue, just south of Chicago Avenue. Police said six people were standing outside near the alley when two vehicles approached. Multiple armed people got out of the vehicles and fired at the group. Police had not announced any arrests by Monday night, and investigators had not publicly identified a motive or said whether the victims were specifically targeted.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person killed as Michael Howard Jr., 18. Police initially described the fatal victim as a man whose age had not been released. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Howard’s identification was released Monday as Area Four detectives continued investigating the shooting.
Five other males standing near the alley were wounded. They included a 14-year-old boy and men ages 18, 21, 24 and 26, according to police accounts. The 24-year-old was initially reported in critical condition after being taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. The other four wounded males were initially reported in good condition, with several treated at Stroger Hospital. Authorities had not released updated medical conditions for all of the surviving victims by Monday night.
A seventh person, a 30-year-old woman, was inside a vehicle nearby when she was struck by gunfire, police said. She then crashed the vehicle into a CTA bus. The woman was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was initially listed in good condition. The bus driver was also taken to a hospital for observation. Authorities did not immediately report serious injuries involving anyone else aboard the bus.
The shooting unfolded during the middle of the day and brought a large police and emergency response to the area. Officers restricted access around portions of Christiana Avenue and nearby streets while investigators examined the scene. Local television reports showed extensive police activity near the bus and the area where the victims had been found. Detectives were working to determine who was in the two vehicles described by police and what led to the attack.
Residents interviewed after the shooting described hearing a rapid series of gunshots. Belinda Lynn-Wiley told ABC7 Chicago that she and members of her family were preparing to leave for church when the gunfire began. Community activist James Aziz also spoke about the need for greater support and positive opportunities for young people in the neighborhood. Police have not said whether either was an eyewitness to the attack itself.
The shooting came less than two months after another incident in Humboldt Park left six people wounded. On July 26, police said someone opened fire on a group gathered outside in the 900 block of North Central Park Avenue shortly after 2 a.m. Two men were initially reported in critical condition and four other people were listed in good condition. Authorities have announced no connection between that shooting and Sunday’s attack.
Investigators have not publicly identified any of the suspected gunmen in Sunday’s shooting or released a description detailed enough to establish their identities. Police have also not announced whether they recovered any of the firearms used in the attack. The available police account says multiple armed people emerged from two vehicles and fired before leaving the area, but authorities have not disclosed what evidence detectives have gathered about those vehicles or their occupants.
Area Four detectives remained in charge of the investigation Monday night. No arrests had been announced, and the motive remained unknown. Police were continuing efforts to identify the people who opened fire as authorities released Howard’s name and the surviving victims recovered from their injuries.
Author note: Last updated September 14, 2026.