CHICAGO (WLS) — Two suspects are in custody following a standoff in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood on Wednesday night, after allegedly shooting a 67-year-old ice cream vendor over a $1 price dispute.
The incident occurred just after 7:30 p.m. in the 10700 block of South Ewing. Witnesses reported that an argument over the price of a dollar ice cream outside a grocery store escalated to gunfire.
“It’s unbelievable. A life for a dollar?” said witness Dave Johnson. “A shot for a dollar? No, that’s crazy. I heard two guys arguing real loud from a block away.”
Johnson described hearing frustration followed by a single gunshot. “Then, all of a sudden, I heard, ‘pow!'” he said. “I went to the corner of my deck, looked down the street, and saw a guy lying on the grass. He was shot in the leg.”
The 67-year-old vendor was left injured on the ground while the two suspects attempted to flee. They were quickly apprehended after police and SWAT officers surrounded the area at 108th and Ewing. The victim was taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.
“Evidently, he didn’t pay the dollar or it was too much for him to pay,” Johnson speculated.
Residents expressed concern over the violent incident. “It’s just scary, gunshots that close to your house,” Johnson added. Longtime resident Manuel Perea shared similar sentiments: “It just feels like I may feel that much safe here, but I just feel like I can’t be outside as much as I usually do.”
Police have not yet identified the suspects, and charges are pending.
