Chicago Christmas Event Shooting: 1 Killed, 8 Injured

A night of celebration spiraled into panic when two shootings rocked Chicago just hours after the city lit its official Christmas tree.

One person was killed and eight others were wounded on Friday as terrified crowds fled through an area known as The Loop.

The first burst of gunfire erupted around 9.50pm near State and Randolph streets, steps from the Chicago Theatre. Police on patrol heard shots fired into a large group, triggering a stampede.

Seven teens, aged 13 to 17, were hit and rushed to Stroger and Lurie Children's hospitals in fair to good condition.

Police have not identified a motive, and no arrests have been made.

Barely 30 minutes later and four blocks apart, about a 5 minute walk, panic struck again near Adams and Dearborn.

There, officers found two more victims: an 18-year-old man shot in the leg and another person who later succumbed to their injuries at Northwestern Hospital.

Ald. Brian Hopkins said on X that multiple officers were 'attacked and injured with mace and stun guns,' and at least one was hospitalized. Hopkins also noted one gunshot victim suffered a life-threatening torso wound.

The violence unfolded on one of the busiest nights of the season, with thousands packing Millennium Park for the tree lighting and Christkindlmarket's opening night.

Chicago has been the scene of repeated incidents of violence in recent months. A gunshot was fired during a fight between hundreds of teens in Oak Park on Halloween night at the end of October.

In August, one person was killed and five others were injured in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, during a shooting at a party that had been advertised on social media and drew hundreds of young people.

Witnesses described chaos as people bolted from the scene.

'We're coming out of the theater, and everybody just start running. We almost got knocked in the street,' Linda Dixon told CBS News. 'Holiday time, everybody wants to celebrate and enjoy the evening, and something like this happens.'

'I just heard a ping, and I'm like, 'Oh, this is real,' Moe Akl said. 'One guy hit the floor, and then I'm like, ok, let's go.'

It's the second year in a row that gunfire shattered the Loop's holiday kickoff. Last November, a woman was wounded near Macy's during Christkindlmarket's opening weekend.

Chicago's tree lighting wasn't the only holiday event overshadowed by violence Friday night.

Chaos ensued in Concord, North Carolina when gunfire erupted during the city's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, leaving four people wounded, of which three were in critical condition.

Police say the shooting broke out just before 7.30pm on Union Street S near Corban Avenue as crowds packed the streets for the holiday celebration.

Four people were hit by gunfire - three critically injured and one stable - and all were rushed to hospitals.

Authorities later revealed the violence was not random but stemmed from a dispute between two suspects who knew each other.

Police identified 18-year-old Nasir Bostic as one of the shooters. He remains in critical condition and faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inciting a riot.

A second suspect, a juvenile, is also hospitalized in critical condition and faces similar charges.

A third suspect, Keyvyonn Bostic, 17, was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged as an adult with accessory after the fact and inciting a riot.

Two other 17-year-old victims were also wounded. One has been discharged from the hospital, while the other remains in critical condition.

Representative Mark Harris addressed the incident on X: 'My team and I are closely monitoring the active situation involving a shooting in Concord, North Carolina, this evening. We are praying for the safety of our brave law enforcement officers, first responders, and everyone on the scene.'

Authorities are urging anyone with photos or videos from the chaotic scene to submit them to police.

Despite the violence, city officials say the parade and Santa Scramble 5K will go on as scheduled Saturday.