Prentiss Smith, 27, was killed in a public, brazen shooting on the afternoon of July 31, 2026, in North Lawndale. He was standing near a bus stop in the 3400 block of West 16th Street at about 12:38 p.m. when two vehicles pulled up and multiple people fired from inside the cars. Smith was struck several times and later died at Mt. Sinai Hospital; an autopsy ruled the death a homicide from multiple gunshot wounds.

A 56-year-old woman nearby was also hit twice in the back and taken to a hospital. The bus shelter’s windows were shattered and personal items were scattered at the scene, which was taped off while emergency crews and detectives worked. Detectives from the Chicago Police Department’s Area Four are investigating, and as of early August 2026 no suspects or motives have been released and no arrests have been announced.

Did anyone in North Lawndale see vehicles or people acting suspiciously near West 16th Street around midday on July 31?