1 dead, 20 shot during Juneteenth celebration in Chicago suburb: 'It was chaos'

One person is dead and at least 20 people were shot during a Juneteenth celebration in a Chicago suburb, according to authorities.

The mass shooting occurred at a strip mall hosting a large Juneteenth party in Willowbrook, Illinois.

Battalion Chief Joe Ostrander with the Tri-State Fire Protection District said around 12:30 a.m., gunfire rang out at a strip mall on Route 83 near Honeysuckle Rose Lane, about 20 miles southwest of Chicago.

There were reportedly "at least 200 teens and young adults" gathered in a parking lot for a Juneteenth celebration when as many as 30 shots were fired.

Witness Markeshia Avery told WLS-TV, "It was supposed to be like a Juneteenth celebration. We just started hearing shooting, so we dropped down until they stopped."

"We were all just out, and, next thing you know shots just kept going off; everybody ran, and it was chaos," witness Craig Lotcie said.

Witness Zaviar Sheikh added, "We just heard gunshots; at first it was one, but then it was a whole bunch of gunshots. After then we started running like, 'yo.' I looked at my friend, and we took off, running like crazy."

Eric Swanson, deputy chief at the DuPage County sheriff's office, explained, "There were at least 20 individuals shot. One victim is deceased. The motive behind this incident is unclear. ... We transported numerous victims from the scene. Others just walked into area hospitals."

Two of the people who were shot are in critical condition, while others suffered "graze wounds," fire department officials told WBBM-TV.

Police did not reveal a motive for the shooting.

Police were still at the crime scene as of Sunday morning conducting the investigation into the deadly shooting.

The DuPage County Sheriff's Office asked that anyone with information call 630-407-2400.

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