Violent Halloween Weekend

Chicago - Five people were killed and at least seven others were seriously wounded in shootings throughout the city over the Halloween weekend.

The dead and injured include a 24-year-old woman -- the mother of three young children -- killed when a man who was thrown out of a party on the West Side opened fire on the partygoers; a 20-year-old pregnant woman who was shot while taking family members trick-or-treating on the Northwest Side; and a 21-year-old DePaul University student fatally shot at a party in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

A 23-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting his girlfriend Saturday morning on the West Side.

Just before 10 a.m. Saturday, police responding to a report of a person shot in the 500 block of North Lawler Avenue found a 21-year-old woman with a gunshot wound to the torso, police News Affairs Sgt. Karla Chaplin said.

The woman was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was in critical condition.

The woman's boyfriend, Clinton Watkins, allegedly shot her during a domestic-related argument, police said. Watkins, 23, of the Lawler Avenue address, was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated domestic battery, according to police News Affairs.

A pregnant 20-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man were wounded Saturday evening in a shooting on the Northwest Side.

The woman, Elia Betancourt, was taking relatives trick-or-treating at the time.

About 6:45 p.m., the two were shot in the 3600 block of West Belmont Avenue, police News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick said.

The exact location of the incident was in an alley at 3137 N. Monticello Ave., according to a Grand Central District lieutenant.

Betancourt was shot in the back near Belmont Avenue, was released Sunday from Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, her family said. Her unborn baby was unharmed.

Police said the shooting is possibly gang-related, though Betancourt was not the intended target, officials said.

The 18-year-old, an alleged Latin Kings gang member, also was shot on Belmont and took himself to Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center. He was listed in serious condition to the medical center with a thigh wound.

Jennifer Clark, 24, was killed when a man who had been asked to leave a party she was at on the West Side opened fire on the party, striking her in the chest.

Police said the shooting happened about 1:05 a.m. after a man was asked to leave the event at 5360 W. Division St. for "rude behavior." Once outside, the man filed several shots through the door, hitting Clark and a 16-year-old girl, Police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak said.

The teenager was wounded on the bottom of her left foot and was in serious condition at West Suburban Medical Center, Oak Park. Clark, of the 3200 block of West Crystal, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital.

She leaves behind twin 6-year-old girls and a 4-year-old girl, her grandmother said.

Family members said Clark went to the party with a few friends but otherwise knew little about it.

Two men were injured -- one critically -- in a shooting Sunday morning on the Northwest Side.

The men, in their 20s, were discovered shot inside a vehicle at 1:15 a.m. at 3601 W. Grand Ave., according to police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro.

The men were apparently sitting in the vehicle when a burgundy colored vehicle pulled alongside on the passenger side and someone inside opened fire, striking both victims, Alfaro said.

One man was shot in the neck and taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital. The other man was shot in the shoulder and was in "stable" condition at Mount Sinai.

An argument at a Humboldt Park Halloween party early Sunday left a DePaul University student dead and another woman injured.

About 1:15 a.m., two people were shot at a party in the 1700 block of North Rockwell Street, where a Halloween party was taking place.

Francisco Valencia, 21, of 5121 W. Strong St., was killed. He was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

The shooting may have stemmed from a disagreement between the people at the party and an uninvited guest, according to a police source.

Valencia, who DePaul officials claim was a very involved and dedicated student, may not have been the intended target—but the shooter was allegedly angry with the people in the house and began shooting erratically, police said.

A 21-year-old woman—another DePaul student according to school officials—was also hurt in the shooting, and listed in “stable” condition at Illinois Masonic, according to police News Affairs Sgt. Antoinette Ursitti.

A 21-year-old man was fatally shot early Sunday on the Near West Side, near Malcolm X College.

Efrain Acevedo was shot at 1812 W. Ogden Ave. about 2 a.m. and was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital early Sunday.

The Ogden Avenue address is nearby Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Van Buren St.

A 39-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday morning in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

About 4:30 a.m., police