SOUTH SHORE — A man fatally shot his ex-girlfriend then took her children to a police station Tuesday night, police said.
Around 9:50 p.m., the man walked up to a minivan parked in the 7200 block of South Bennett Avenue and fired several shots into the car, fatally hitting his 28-year-old ex-girlfriend, said Officer Ron Gaines, a Chicago Police spokesman.
The man then opened the door of the van and helped the woman's 8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son into a light-colored car, which he drove to the Grand Crossing district police station, at 7040 S. Cottage Grove Ave, Gaines said.
The man was taken into custody and charges are pending, Gaines said.
The victim was identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office as Mechelle Lewis of the same block as where the shooting occurred. She was pronounced dead at 10:11 p.m., according to the Morgue.
A neighbor, who's lived on the block for over 20 years, said this is the first shooting on the block he can remember, though he often hears gun shots from around the neighborhood. Though he didn't know Lewis or the children, he was "astounded" to see the event unfold from his front window Tuesday night.
"I went to the window when I heard the gun shots and [the shooter] just looked really calm. His car was parked off to the side and he just moved the kids to his car," said Stan, who declined to give his last name.
Stan heard about five gunshots and saw the man standing over the driver's side window of the van, which was parked in front of a parking lot situated between a row of homes and an apartment complex on the one-way street.
"As soon as [the shooter] pulled off the cops were pulling in. I don't think anyone could help her she was shot about five times at point blank range. To do that in front of her kids... Wow," said Stan letting his voice trail off.
ABC7 reported that Lewis worked at a McDonald's near East 47th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue where the owner described her as "a beautiful person [who] will be missed."
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