March 16--Police have released video they say shows two "possible suspects" running away after a 77-year-old church deacon was killed and three others were wounded, including two boys ages 2 and 5.
"We are seeking help in identifying these men," Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada said.
The video is about two minutes long and was shot on the same block of the attack, the 200 block of West 105th street.
The video shows the sidewalk and street outside a home on a block lined with small houses and a few trees. About 35 seconds into the video, a man is seen sprinting down the block. He appears to be wearing blue jeans and a brown or light-colored long-sleeved shirt and black shoes.
Twenty seconds later another man is seen running, at a slightly slower pace, after the first man. It appears he is also wearing a light-colored long-sleeved shirt, light brown or tan pants, and black shoes.
"They are running away from the incident," Estrada said.
Estrada had no further details about the men, including their height, weight or age.
Odell Branch, 77, was sitting on his living room couch with his 5-year-old great-grandson, Shamaree Bynum, about to eat some ice cream and watch a movie, about 6:30 p.m. Monday when a bullet ripped through the front double window of his Far South Side home.
The bullet killed Branch. Shamaree was hit in his arm.
Outside, Nikeva Parker and her 2-year-old son, Emaree Harrell, were shot as they were getting in their van to leave after a visit. Emaree was critically wounded.
Branch was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 7:41 p.m. Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Parker, 34, was shot in the chest and left hand. Her son's right shoulder was hit, police said.
By Tuesday, Parker had been released from Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago and went to Advocate Hope Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn to attend to her son.
Odell Branch was a deacon at Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church and a retired maintenance worker. He and his wife lived in their home for more than 50 years and stayed there even when the community turned violent, relatives said.
Anyone with information was asked to call Area South Detectives, (312) 747-8271.
