IL. 319 = the number of Chicago Public School Students Shot this past school year.

Ashake Banks said she opened a candy stand on the street of her North Austin block two weeks ago to keep kids close to their homes and maybe away from gang crossfire.

Late Wednesday night, Banks’ 7-year-old daughter Heaven Sutton was sitting next to Banks as she sold snacks and snow cones when someone opened fire down the street around 10:45 p.m. A stray bullet hit the little girl as she ran back to her house in the 1700 block of North Luna Avenue, police and family say.

Heaven was shot in the back and died half an hour later.

Police recently released statistics showing the number of Chicago Public School students shot this past school year — 319 — was the highest in four years. The toll from last weekend’s gun violence in the city included the deaths of two boys, 13 and 14.

Longtime residents of the block say gang tensions have put residents on edge.

Parents only let their children outside for short periods of time, he said, and then only with close supervision, he said.

 

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