On January 26, 2024, two students from Innovations High School were killed in a midday ambush in the Loop. Seventeen-year-old Monterio Williams and 16-year-old Robert Boston were exiting the school at 17 N. State St. during lunch when two vehicles — a dark-colored sedan and an SUV — pulled up along Wabash Avenue near the Washington/Wabash Loop ’L’ stop. Multiple people got out and opened fire with no prior confrontation; Monterio was struck in the right hip and chest and Robert in the chest. Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead.

Surveillance video shows the dark-colored SUV pulling up under the elevated tracks, at least one person running from the vehicle to fire on the teens, then returning to the SUV, which fled south on Wabash and turned west on Madison. A bystander, Berenice Vargas, had her jacket grazed by a bullet but was not treated. Officials, including the mayor and the 34th Ward alderperson, have expressed condolences; police are reviewing CTA and security footage and asking anyone with information to contact Area 3 detectives.

If anyone witnessed the shooting, saw the vehicles, or has footage from downtown Chicago on January 26, please contact Area 3 police detectives with what was seen.