By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – One person is dead after five people were shot outside a west-side gas station Wednesday night.

Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea said at around 7:10 p.m., officers heard gunshots, responded to the Citgo Way Low station at 2914 W. State St., and located the five victims.

“One of the victims has since been pronounced deceased,” the chief said. “The four other victims are at local hospitals being treated. One of them has critical injuries.”

The other three victims’ wounds were not life threatening.

As of this report, it is not known if the person who died is male or female. O’Shea said the shooting was targeted but investigators do not know the identity of the target.

“Based on information we have at this point, we believe that the shooters were going after a particular person or persons,” he said. “There was at least one person, maybe more, that was targeted by the individuals that were shooting. It could be gangs, it could be drugs, it could be anything at this point.”

There are no suspects as of this report. The incident marks the sixth homicide of the year.

The Rock River Times will have more on this story as it develops.