PILSEN — In response to recent violence, a Pilsen group is planning a peace march through the neighborhood Wednesday.
Pilsen Alliance's March for Peace & Justice will kick off at 5 p.m. at Dvorak Park, 1119 W. Cullerton St. From there, the march will continue west on 18th Street and end at Harrison Park.
This summer has been a violent one in the neighborhood, Pilsen Alliance Executive Director Byron Sigcho wrote in an email to residents.
"Shootings have taken place almost daily, sometimes in the afternoon, in public parks where families and children are present," Sigcho said. "Let’s stand together and remind everyone that our youth are important and we must continue to love and support them as they navigate this violent world."
14 wounded, one killed
Since May 1, 14 people have been wounded and one person has been killed by shootings in Pilsen and Heart of Chicago, according to a DNAinfo Chicago map that tracks shootings.
An 11-year-old, 15-year-old and 16-year-old were among those wounded in the 11 shootings.
Four of the 11 shootings have taken place during daytime hours.
At 11:40 a.m. May 3, 43-year-old Jesus Juarez was killed and a 35-year-old man was wounded in a drive-by shooting near Express Grill, 1730 S. Halsted St., police said.
At 2:30 a.m. May 7, a 20-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the 2000 block of South Wolcott Avenue, police said.
At 6:55 p.m. May 13, a 29-year-old man was shot in his right leg as he was getting out of his car in the 1500 block of West 19th Street, police said.
At 10:45 a.m. May 14, a 16-year-old boy was shot in his leg in the 2100 block of West 19th Street, police said.
At 1:30 a.m. May 23, a 20-year-old man and 30-year-old woman were wounded in a drive-by shooting in the 2300 block of South Leavitt Street, police said.
At 10:10 p.m. June 10, two men, ages 20 and 22, were shot while walking in the 1700 block of South Wolcott Avenue, police said.
At 2 a.m. June 26, a 29-year-old man was shot in hiw leg in the 1800 block of South Blue Island Avenue, police said.
At 3:40 a.m. July 2, a 23-year-old man was wounded in a drive-by shooting in the 2200 block of West 18th Place, police said.
At 9 p.m. July 4, an 11-year-old boy was shot in his right arm on his porch in the 2000 block of South Western Avenue, police said. Before he was wounded, the boy had been celebrating Fourth of July with his family.
At 3:10 a.m. July 17, two men were shot while stopped at a red light in the 2200 block of South Leavitt Avenue, police said.
At 2 p.m. July 28, a 15-year-old boy was critically wounded when he was shot multiple times in the 1700 block of West 21st Street, police said.
Shootings near parks
In other summertime shootings in the neighborhood, people were not injured, but the incidents alarmed neighbors.
On Monday night, a half-dozen shots rang out in an alley near Cullerton Park, neighbors said. No one is believed to have been hit by the gunfire.
In July, a daytime drive-by shooting near a summer camp in Dvorak Park in Pilsen forced 80 children to take cover.
In an effort to bring attention to the neighborhood's issues, Pilsen Alliance also teamed up with My Block, My Hood, My City to lead a march on 18th Street in January.
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