CHICAGO — A fight broke out at the funeral of a gang member in Gage Park Thursday afternoon, causing police to temporarily shut down a portion of Western Avenue, according to a witness.
Police received calls of shots fired and a person shot inside Midwest Memorial Chapel, 5040 S. Western Ave., around 11 a.m. Thursday. But an employee of the funeral home said no shots were fired, but guns were brandished and a large fight broke out.
Just before the funeral was to leave for the cemetery, at least two people at the memorial began fighting, the employee said. The employee asked not to be named because they did not have authority to talk about the incident.
The employee saw guns on the people who were fighting but could not say if the guns were pointed.
"I can't say for sure who it was. It happened so fast," the employee said.
Officers closed off Western Avenue and portions of 51st Street while investigating the incident and kept the street closed until the funeral procession could leave.
The funeral was for a slain gang member, the employee said. And because it was a gang member's funeral, police and security were already on scene before the fight broke out.
More officers came, however, the employee said.
It is not clear if the fight was between rival gang members, said the employee, adding fights at gang member's services are not uncommon.
"Unfortunately, it does happen. Too often," they said.
It is not clear if anyone was arrested after the fight. A Chicago Police spokeswoman had no report on the incident.
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