Police say a gunman opened fire along West 78th Place on Sunday afternoon and fled before officers arrived.
CHICAGO, IL — Three men were shot Sunday around 4:11 p.m. near St. Sabina Church in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, according to Chicago police. The gunfire erupted in the 1200 block of West 78th Place. The attacker ran off, and detectives from the department’s Area Two are investigating.
Police said the victims — men ages 30, 33 and 38 — were standing near the sidewalk when a man approached and fired several rounds before escaping. The 30-year-old was struck in the shoulder and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center. The 33-year-old was hit in the foot and taken to Holy Cross Hospital. The 38-year-old was shot in the hip and transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center. All three were listed in stable condition Sunday night. No arrests were announced as of late Sunday, and officials did not release a motive.
Officers responded after multiple 911 calls reported shots near the parish campus off 78th Place, a residential block steps from Racine Avenue. Squad cars blocked the street while evidence technicians documented the scene and canvassed for security video. “The offender fled the scene in an unknown direction,” police said in a brief statement, adding that the investigation remains active. Detectives were working to determine whether the men were targeted and how many shots were fired. Authorities did not immediately provide a description of the shooter or confirm whether a vehicle was involved in the escape.
The shooting happened outside one of the South Side’s best-known faith communities. St. Sabina’s main address is on West 78th Place in Auburn Gresham, a neighborhood of single-family homes, churches and small businesses on Chicago’s South Side. The Sunday incident drew officers to the block bordering the church grounds late in the afternoon, when many residents were returning home. Police reports say the victims were standing near the sidewalk at the time of the attack. The department said all three victims were stabilized at area hospitals. The names of those wounded were not released, in keeping with department policy for nonfatal shootings.
Chicago police said Area Two detectives are leading the case, a standard step for shootings on the South Side. Investigators reviewed physical evidence collected at the scene and began interviewing witnesses. Detectives also sought footage from nearby cameras along 78th Place and adjacent streets to track the gunman’s path after the attack. Authorities said it was too early to say whether the shooting was connected to a prior dispute. No search warrants or charges had been filed by late Sunday, and officials did not set a timetable for releasing more information. The investigation will include ballistics testing to determine if the weapon matches other recent incidents.
St. Sabina, a longstanding Roman Catholic parish in Auburn Gresham, has frequently hosted anti-violence programs and evening events on its campus. The church sits amid a cluster of community sites and residential blocks where foot traffic typically increases on weekends. On Sunday, neighbors stood behind police tape as detectives walked the block, and a small crowd formed near the corner while tow trucks cleared the street. “We’re glad the victims are expected to recover,” a Chicago police spokesperson said, “but this remains an open investigation.” Officers maintained a visible presence in the area into the evening as the immediate scene was processed.
As of early Monday, police reported no one in custody. The next expected update could come after detectives complete their initial canvass and review of nearby surveillance video. Hospital conditions for the three victims were listed as stable late Sunday, and their names had not been released. Investigators plan to brief supervisors on preliminary findings and determine follow-up interviews and evidence processing this week.
Author note: Last updated December 29, 2025.