CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox talked to Major League Baseball on Monday about postponing their game against the Minnesota Twins after a gunman opened fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least six people.
After speaking with MLB and contact with local authorities, the game was slated to begin on time. But there were storms in the area that could affect play.
The postgame fireworks show was canceled, and the team planned to observe a moment of silence before the first pitch.
“Our hearts are with the Highland Park community,” the White Sox said in a statement. “The entire Chicago White Sox organization expresses our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the innocent victims of today’s horrific shooting and all of those who have been affected by this tragedy.”
The gunman wounded at least 30 and sent hundreds of marchers, parents with strollers and children on bicycles fleeing in terror, police said. The suspect remained on the loose hours later as authorities scoured the area.
Several nearby cities canceled events, including parades and fireworks, some of them noting that the Highland Park shooter was still at large.
“Something need to change,” White Sox closer Liam Hendriks said. “Something needs to be done, something needs to happen because there’s too many people losing their lives.”
The July 4 shooting was just the latest to shatter the rituals of American life. Schools, churches, grocery stores and now community parades have all become killing grounds in recent months.
“Unfortunately, it’s almost daily,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said of the shootings. “Way too frequently.
“Even when there’s an explanation, there’s no explanation. It doesn’t make sense.”
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