CHICAGO () — A 14-year-old girl who was days away from beginning high school was one of four teenagers killed Sunday morning in a violent high-speed crash in Bedford Park, Chicago police and relatives said.
The victims, ages 14 to 19, were from Chicago’s north and northwest suburbs. Police said the pickup truck’s driver was trying to get away from law enforcement shortly after 2:15 a.m. when the vehicle went off the road near Cicero Avenue and 69th Street and dropped into a train yard below.
Surveillance footage captured the pickup launching off the bridge and becoming airborne before the crash.
One of the teens killed was Vanessa Morales. Her family said she had been scheduled to attend freshman orientation at Palatine High School on Monday.
“She was so excited. She was going to get her tablet and meet her teachers today,” Morales’ father said in Spanish.
Chicago police said officers had been called early Sunday after a report that an unidentified suspect inside a vehicle had pointed a weapon at someone. Investigators said the vehicle matched the description of the pickup truck carrying Morales and the other teens.
Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop and briefly pursued the truck before calling off the chase, according to police. The crash happened soon after Illinois State Police also attempted to stop the vehicle, police said.
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Morales’ father said he believes law enforcement shares responsibility for what unfolded before the deadly crash.
“They told me they stopped chasing, but the videos online show something else. They show lots of police cars behind them. I think there are other ways they could have stopped the car,” he said in Spanish.
Woodstock High School said one of those killed graduated from Woodstock High School last May and another last attended Woodstock High School about two years ago.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of these young people’s lives. Our thoughts are with their families,” the school said in a statement.
Another graduated from Crystal Lake Central High School.
“Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time,” the school said.
Both the Chicago Police Department and Illinois State Police declined to provide additional details about the pursuit. A Chicago police spokesperson said the incident remains under investigation.
