2 Chathamites killed, 2 wounded in drive-by shooting at South Side party

Two men were killed -- one of them an expectant father -- and two others wounded early Sunday morning in a drive-by shooting in the South Side's Stony Island Park neighborhood, according to police and a family member of one of the deceased victims.

One person was being questioned in connection with the shooting, but no charges have been filed.

About 2:40 a.m., four men were near a party at East 84th Street and South Euclid Avenue when they were shot from a passing vehicle.

Michael Chatman, 22, of the 8000 block of South Evans Avenue was hit and later pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Chicago police said he was shot on the neck.

A second 22-year-old, Reginald Riley, of the 7600 block of South King Drive, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at another area hospital. Riley was once a front desk clerk at the Whitney Young Branch of the Chicago Public Library, at 7901 South King Drive.

Two others were wounded in the shooting. A 22-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to his back and was listed in "stable" condition at Advocate Christ, police said, adding that a 21-year-old man was also listed in "stable" at Stroger Hospital.

Chatman's uncle, Tyrone Chatman, said his nephew and girlfriend were expecting their first child together within a few weeks. He said his nephew and Riley have been best friends since their grammar school years.

"We were pretty close," Chatman, 60, said of his nephew. "We used to see each other a lot ...He was very family-oriented," he said. Chatman said Michael, his brother and father would fix cars for organized, competitive racing at the Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.

Chatman said his nephew had six siblings, including a sister who is a Chicago police officer. Police said Riley's mother is also a police officer for the department.

The victims were invited to a party on the block, and as they pulled up and got out of their vehicle, a red or burgundy sport utility vehicle pulled up and at least one occupant from it fired several shots, said Steve Peterson, Chicago police deputy superintendent of the Bureau of Investigative Services.

"There was some activity regarding a possible SUV that was found nearby and one subject was apprehended," Peterson said today.

That person is being questioned at Calumet Area police headquarters, Peterson said. No charges had been filed as of Sunday evening.

He said the motive in the double homicide remains unknown.

"We're a long way from any charges at this point because there's a lot to do with the two surviving witnesses," Peterson said.