Steger police searching for suspect after shooting victim seriously hurt

Police in south suburban Steger were searching for the suspect in a shooting that left one person with critical injuries Friday afternoon, authorities said.

That day, officers with the Steger Police Department responded to a report of shots fired and a subject on the ground near Kings and Richton roads. Officers located a male victim in his 20s, who was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital and then airlifted to a trauma center.

The victim, a University Park resident, was in critical but stable condition as of Saturday night. Officers initiated a search for the suspect after the shooting and, through the use of thermal imaging, were able to identify heat signatures in the area where the individual was likely located, police said.

The track, however, ended a short distance away.

On Saturday, detectives were following “several leads” after obtaining video footage from the area and witness statements. The investigation indicated the shooting was targeted and not a random act, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Steger Police Department at 708-755-0223 or their dispatch center at 708-754-8121.