The violence prevention workers were among four men wounded in a drive-by shooting in Little Village after a youth service outing.
CHICAGO, IL — Three members of New Life Centers of Chicagoland, a nonprofit involved in violence prevention and youth outreach, were wounded when someone opened fire from a car outside a Little Village building Friday night, according to police and the organization.
Four men in all were wounded in the Oct. 16 shooting near West 26th Street and South Pulaski Road. New Life Centers said three of the victims were connected to its work, including two staff members and a Peacekeeper or volunteer. The shooting came hours after members of the organization accompanied young people on a service project to pack meals for families in need. All four men survived, and authorities said they were in good condition after receiving hospital treatment.
Chicago police said the four men were leaving a building in the 4000 block of West 26th Street shortly before 11:15 p.m. when a white sedan pulled alongside them. Someone inside the vehicle opened fire before the sedan fled south on Pulaski Road. Police have not announced an arrest or publicly identified a suspected shooter.
The victims ranged in age from 19 to 56. Police said a 56-year-old man was wounded in the leg, a 26-year-old man in the foot and a 25-year-old man in the hand. A 19-year-old man who was wounded in the arm took himself to Mount Sinai Hospital. The other three were also taken to Mount Sinai. Police said all four were in good condition.
New Life Centers said its group had spent part of the evening with teenagers at Feed My Starving Children, where they packed meals intended for families abroad. The shooting occurred after the group returned to Little Village. Reporting immediately after the attack did not establish whether the fourth wounded man was connected to the organization or was a bystander.
In a statement after the shooting, New Life Centers called the violence “heartbreaking and unacceptable.” The organization said its staff members and Peacekeepers work in neighborhoods to mentor young people, interrupt violence and build relationships. The group said its offices, youth centers and community spaces need to remain safe places for residents and workers.
New Life Centers was created in 2005 and grew out of New Life Community Church. Its programs include youth mentoring, restorative justice, victim services, food assistance and street outreach in several Chicago neighborhoods. Its street outreach program describes workers as violence interrupters, crisis responders and mentors who mediate conflicts and connect residents with services.
The shooting placed members of that violence prevention network among the victims of the type of gun violence they routinely work to reduce. New Life Centers has said it works with other community groups in Little Village as part of broader efforts to reach people at high risk of becoming involved in shootings and to respond when violence occurs.
Pastor Mark Jobe, founding pastor of New Life Community Church, later said the three New Life Centers members were recovering and expressed gratitude that their wounds were not more severe. The organization said the victims appreciated the support they had received from the community as they recovered.
Police have not publicly announced a motive or said whether investigators believe any of the four men was specifically targeted. Area Four detectives are investigating, and no arrests had been announced in the latest available reports. Local leaders were also preparing a peace march in response to recent violence in the neighborhood.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.