New details have emerged in the horrific high-speed hit-and-run that killed three men outside of a gay bar in Chicago on Sunday. As previously reported, four people were struck by an oncoming vehicle that was racing down 7700 South Jeffery at 5 AM in the morning during what police say was an argument that had erupted on the street. Of the four people that were hit, three of the victims died while the fourth was taken to the hospital for serious injuries.
Chicago Police Department chief Brenden Deenihan, via ABC News, revealed in an update that law enforcement officers were not investigating the attack as a hate crime, indicating that the person who recklessly plowed through a group of people on Sunday may have been part of the quarrel before they jumped into their car and committed the despicable crime. “We don’t have any evidence to support that someone was trying to harm these individuals because of their race, religion, etcetera,” Deenihan explained.
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He further touched on what cops think happened in the lead-up to the fatal incident. The quarrel between several guys began inside Jeffery Pub and continued when the establishment had closed. As seen in the videos that have surfaced on social media, the group of men are then said to have taken the argument on the road, which is when a car drove right at them and instantly killed three people in the process. The victims have since been identified as 25-year-old Donald Huey, 23-year-old Jaylen Ausley, and 27-year-old Devonta Vivetter.
Ausley’s cousin, Curtis Henderson, has since spoken out about the tragedy, saying “it hurts, it hurts a lot.” Ausley had recently graduated from the University of Michigan with his whole life ahead of him, with his cousin stressing that they doubt he was involved in the argument because he’s always been the person to try and diffuse any quarrels.
“If any involvement I know that Jaylen was there, diffusing the situation. That’s his personality. He’s never been in any trouble. He’s never gotten into anything. He’s been on the straight and narrow his entire life,” Henderson shared.
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Police have reportedly found the vehicle they believe was used in the hit-and-run, though the suspect is still on the loose as CCTV cameras from the scene are being carefully screened to find clues of the person’s identity.
“Because we don’t have a suspect in custody and we don’t have any information that somebody stated that. So active ongoing investigation and that can change once we get more witnesses and a suspect in. Everything can change based upon those statements,” Deenihan added.