In the quiet hours of early Saturday morning, chaos erupted on South Shields Avenue in Fuller Park. The incident unfolded around 12:40 a.m., a time when the neighborhood was mostly asleep, unaware of the violence that was about to unfold.
Witnesses report that a private bus had just pulled over to the curb, and a woman named Odeal Curley, 40, was stepping off when suddenly, gunfire erupted from inside the vehicle.
The shooter, identified as Demar King, 35, was still inside the bus at the moment of the shooting, and he fired multiple rounds from within, striking Curley in her right thigh.
The shot was devastating. Odeal Curley collapsed to the ground, clutching her leg as blood seeped through her clothes. Bystanders immediately called 911, and emergency responders arrived swiftly.
Paramedics rendered aid on the scene, stabilizing her as best they could before rushing her to the University of Chicago Medical Center. Despite the efforts of the medical team, her injuries were too severe.
The bullet had caused critical damage, and she succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital. Her death sent shockwaves through the community, which was already grappling with the startling violence.
Police acted quickly to identify the suspect. Witnesses provided descriptions of the bus and the shooter, and surveillance footage from nearby cameras helped piece together the events.
Authorities quickly pinpointed Demar King as the person responsible for the shooting.
An alert bulletin was issued across the region, warning law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for his vehicle and to apprehend him.
The very next day, Illinois State Police spotted King’s vehicle on an expressway during a routine traffic patrol. Recognizing the car from the bulletin, officers attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle slowed but did not immediately pull over.
A brief high-speed chase ensued, with King trying to evade police.
The pursuit ended in a safer location, where officers were able to apprehend him without further incident. His arrest marked a critical step in the investigation, bringing some measure of closure to the tragic event.
The shooting on South Shields Avenue has left the community shaken.
The senseless violence, which resulted in the death of a woman simply stepping off a bus, underscores ongoing concerns about gun violence and public safety.
Community leaders and residents are calling for increased patrols and preventive measures to curb such tragedies. Odeal Curley’s family and friends are left devastated, mourning her loss and demanding justice for her untimely death.
As the legal process begins, Demar King faces multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder.
The investigation continues as authorities seek to determine the motive behind the shooting and whether there were any underlying conflicts or threats involved.
For now, the focus remains on ensuring that justice is served and that efforts are made to prevent such a tragedy from happening again in this neighborhood.
The community mourns the loss of Odeal Curley, a woman whose life was cut short in a moment of violence that has left a lasting scar on the fabric of Fuller Park.
