Surreal experience at the park today

[litefire56]

I went back to a park close to work today for a short hunt. About 30 mins into it I heard a loud bang through the multitude of signals in my headphones. I looked up to see 3 dudes
running to their SUV and leaving behind a fourth guy on the ground. They peeled out through
the turf and made their way to the parking area where their were delayed by other cars coming or going.
My mind was racing. I knew what most likely had just happened, but something was telling me
"no way, there's little kids playing right there in the tot lot"
I thought I should get to my van, which was close, and follow the SUV. But I didn't.
I then found myself running full speed to the victim who was trying to get up but couldn't.
I dialed 911 and tried to comfort this kid, yep a 16 year old kid. He was shot in the back and never saw it coming. he kept asking me what happened to him and why he couldn't feel his legs.
I just told him to lay back and relax, that help was on the way and he's going to be OK.
I asked him if he knew the guys that did this. And his reply was, "I don't know nothing"
Within 2 mins a blacked out SUV comes peeling across the turf and a guy ID's himself as FBI.
The 911 operator then asks me to have him to identify himself (gulp), and he flipped open his badge.
A minute later 12 squads are flying up the hill from every direction, and I'm thinking, I hope somebody is looking for that SUV that I gave the description and direction of.
Rescue arrives and has the kid loaded and gone within 5 minutes.

After giving statements for 45 mins the FBI guy comes up and asks if that's my metal detector
laying there. With everything going on I kinda forgot about it and thought maybe one of the squads had run it over or something. I looked over to where it was and it looked fine. So turning back to him I said "yes it is". He then asks if I wouldn't mind helping them find the shell
casing, if any.
Are you kidding me!! Hell ya I will. Well I spent a good hour looking for it without success, but
not knowing if it was an auto or not, the casing could have still been in the revolver, if that's what was used.
So my short hunt turned into a 5 hour situation. And to make this long story short, the kid is alive (condition unknown) the bad guys were caught 2 hours after the shooting. (the details of how I can't reveal yet,,, case pending)
So even though I didn't score any goodies today, I guess I'm glad I was around to help out.

Be careful out there guys!

[kimsdad]

Amazing!!!

Glad you're OK, John!!! The kid, too!

I'm glad they caught the punks!

FBI was there on the spot, huh? What a coincidence.....

Thanks for telling us the story!

[Lookn4Seated]

Wow John. Glad things turned out allright and it didn't turn into a tragic incident.

[Dirt fishing Wolf]

Glad to here your ok John. When things like that happen its hard to
believe at first something isn't right, you did the right thing getting
to that kid in a hurry. FBI must have been watching something in
the area. keep us posted when you can.

[treasurefiend]

Holy cow bud!!! You did good!!!

[marinedad]

i'ts a good thing you did to comfort the victim, i applaud you, and i am sure with your help the hoodlums were caught. i'm glad you were ok too.

[Lowbatts]

You're a good guy John. Can't add much more than that. Glad you didn't come to any harm over the thing and threw in for the search effort.

[Dave44]

I applaud you ,sir. Stay safe out there.

[makton]

Wow! What a story.
I hope the kid is ok and I applaud you for taking action...you might have saved the kids life.

There a re a lot of people that would have just got out of there and not helped the victim.

Good Job!

Makton

[watercolor]

Awesome way to swing into action helping that kid out I'm glad you weren't any closer when that shot was fired.

[JGRDHS]

Thats a great story. I'm glad you were around to provide assistance. You are in the Chicago area right?

I love Neils comment regarding the "coincidental" arrival of the FBI. Exactly right...

[ivan salis]

humm thats a odd one -- with a FBI agent the first "police" to show up ? quite odd * -- unless it was a stake out --the 16 year old might have been a witness of something the others did in the past or a "inside the gang" police informer (or it might have been a gang "rite" -- to "prove" your evil enough to be one of "them" -- they go to a park pick some person at random and then have the gang "wanna be" shoot em -- in other words will you and can you "kill" someone when ordered to by the gang bosses for no other reason than your told to? ---( the gang leaders often put a wanna be "prospect" thru this type of act to prevent them from turning on them , later on --then gangs know if you are "flipped" by the cops -- the other gang members can counter with a "murder rap" against the witness)

the FBI dude most likely was following one of them most likely --sounds like it might be gang or dope related shooting -- "gang bangers" will shoot folks in broad daylight and do not care who is around there , I think the reason they were caught so fast is that the FBI dude most likely had their car make and model & tag number and knew who the bad dudes were already --glad to see the bad guys off the street -- if the gun was a revolver there will be no casing to find (fired casing stays in the gun until its unloaded) --if it was a automatic used then most likely there will be a shell casing on the ground

with no casing found most likely a 38 revolver used ( one of the most common gun's around)

take care

[litefire56]

Thats a great story. I'm glad you were around to provide assistance. You are in the Chicago area right?

I love Neils comment regarding the "coincidental" arrival of the FBI. Exactly right...

Chicago area, but well outside the city. All 4 including the victim were known gang members.

Thanks guys,,, Now that a day has gone by and the reality has really started sinking in,
I'm wondering if I did the right thing or possibly got too involved. Maybe I could have just dialed 911 as I hightailed it out of there, but I went where my legs took me.

[cntrydncr1]

wow, what an experience!! of course you did the right thing and it would be awesome to help in the hunt too! a job well done!

[ivan salis]

yep as I figgered a "gang banger" type of event * --- the other 3 gang folks might have spotted the FBI tail * and figgered they been "fingered" -- they might have thought the 16 year old was a "police informer" -- so POP they shoot him -- and the kids --- I KNOW NOTHING * statement to you .

you of course had no way of knowing he was a "gang member" you only see a hurt kid * so of course you helped him , because your a decent person and thats what decent folks do.

chi town has a real bad rep these days --for gang shootings -- uh hows that "gun ban" working out for normal home owner chicago types --since only the gang bangers can have a pistol these days ?

[etrac007]

GLAD YOUR OK and you where able to help someone in need!

[Daedalus]

Glad you are ok , and yes you did the right thing by helping . You might have saved that kids life . Even if he is a gang banger .
The thing that has me stumped is the F.B.I , now they do not normally come to a shooting like this. But I guess he could have heard it on the Radio and went to see if he could help .

I can not understand what the logic is not letting good people carry weapons in your area . This has got you in your area setting like ducks and the bad guys still have the guns. But the ones making the decisions on this have body guards with guns so they do not have to worry about it.

[ewcoinhunter]

What a story! I am glad you are OK, and I hope the kid pulls through. You just never know.