Four shot outside late-night tavern in Gold Coast drive-by

A Chicago City Council member is calling for the closure of a bar he says has a history of fights, weapons violations and gang activity after an early morning drive-by shooting left three men and a woman wounded in the Gold Coast neighborhood.

About 3:50 a.m., at least one assailant inside an Acura sedan opened fire while at the intersection of Dearborn and Division streets — hitting four people on a sidewalk, Chicago police said.

As the car fled south on Dearborn, paramedics were called to 21 W. Division St., outside the Lodge Tavern, where the four victims were found, police and fire department officials said.

Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) said a staffer from the Lodge called 911, but the incident may be tied to an establishment called Gold Coast Social, 7 W. Division St., which is about 120 feet from the Lodge. That section along Division Street is home to several late-night bars and taverns.

Witnesses reported the female shooting victim had just walked out of Gold Coast Social before she was shot, according to Hopkins, who is calling on Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling to issue a summary closure for the spot, citing a “long history of 911 calls” there.

A Chicago police spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the summary closure. A representative for Gold Coast Social also did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon, and a Lodge staffer declined to elaborate.

According to Hopkins, the “initial evidence” from Friday’s shooting was “strong enough to justify” closure.

“There’s just a constant stream of calls for fights, weapons violations, gang activity … It’s a problem spot,” Hopkins said of Gold Coast Social.

The four victims, all in good condition, were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police said.

A 22-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound to the right leg, a 60-year-old man was shot in the left thigh, a 45-year-old man was shot in the right foot and a 24-year-old man was shot in the right forearm, police said.

Doria Goll was asleep at her apartment with her husband and dog a few buildings from where the shooting happened when she was startled by about 15 shots.

“At first we were like, ‘There’s no way it could be gunshots because there were so many,'” said Goll, 29.

Goll, who has lived in the area for over a year, said the area “gets pretty rowdy because of the bars” but dies down in the fall.

“It was kind of surprising, because on a Thursday there’s usually not that many people out this time of year,” she said.

Quentin Harlem saw police activity as he walked into work at Gotham Bagels, 1212 N. Dearborn St., Friday morning and initially thought a television or movie scene was being filmed before learning of what happened.

“I wasn’t expecting anything like that to happen out here,” Harlem, 23, said. I know things like that can happen anywhere, but it’s just crazy. It’s like right here, and it could’ve happened to me if I was walking to work or coming home.”

Harlem, who has worked in the Gold Coast for about five months, doesn’t feel any less safe but always tries to stay cautious.

“I’m always aware of my surroundings anyways, I think people should be like that regardless,” Harlem said. “If you’re out that late or that early, just make sure your head’s on a swivel.”

Earlier several buses were rerouted due to the attack.

No arrests have been made, and Area 3 detectives are investigating.