John and Willie Hunter, brothers from Missouri and nephews of a local legislator, were fatally shot Sunday morning while sitting in an SUV in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the South Side.
John Hunter, 25, and his 31-year-old brother Willie Hunter were nephews of state Sen. Mattie Hunter of Chicago. Originally from Chicago, they had recently moved to Missouri, but were back in town for the holiday weekend, a spokeswoman for Hunter told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“We are heartbroken and saddened by this tragic and senseless loss of life,” Hunter said in a statement. “My family is no different than any other family, and far too many of us have lost family members to the violence that continue to plague our communities.”
The brothers were sitting inside a Chevrolet SUV about 6:10 a.m. in the 8800 block of South Bishop, when a male suspect walked up and opened fire, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The SUV—driven by the younger brother—sped away, but then crashed into a building in the 1600 block of West 89th, authorities said.
John Hunter, of the 300 block of East Ashley Street in Jefferson City, Missouri, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 7 a.m., authorities said.
Willie Hunter, of the 1200 block of East High Street in Jefferson City, was discovered unresponsive in the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds and their deaths were ruled homicides, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
—Chicago Sun-Times Wire and Chicago Sun-Times