Dwyane Wade's cousin shot, killed in Chicago

CHICAGO -- Nykea Aldridge, mother of four and cousin of Chicago Bulls star Dwyane Wade, was shot and killed by crossfire Friday afternoon in Chicago's Parkway Gardens neighborhood.

Wade is currently not in town but recently joined an ESPN round-table talking about the violence plaguing the city of Chicago. He tweeted about his cousin's death Friday night.

Pastor Edward Jones says 32-year-old Nykea Aldridge was pushing a baby in a stroller on the city's South Side, walking to register her children for school Friday after recently relocating.

Police said Aldridge had just left the Dulles School of Excellence around 3:30 p.m. in the 6300-block of Calumet when two men approached another man in the vicinity and opened fire. Deputy Chief James Jones said the altercation between the men had nothing to do with her.

Aldridge, 32, was struck in the head and arm by crossfire. She was taken to Stroger Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police say the baby wasn't hurt.

One of the mne who fired shots was being questioned Friday, police said.

Family members, including Wade's mother, Pastor Jolinda Wade, gathered at Stroger and spoke about their loss. Pastor Wade held her sobbing sister, Aldridge's mother, close the entire time.

"Just sat up on a panel yesterday, The Undefeated, talking about the violence that's going on within our city of Chicago, never knowing that the next day we would be the ones that would be actually living and experiencing it," Pastor Wade said.

But in the wake of her personal loss, she remained determined.

"We're still going to try and help these people to transform their minds and give them a different direction, so this thing won't keep happening," she said. "We're still going to help empower people like the one who senselessly shot my niece in the head."

Investigators said she was an innocent bystander and not the intended target.

Wade was somber during his appearance at the EPSN Town Hall meeting, talking about Chicago violence.

"It's deep-rooted. This is something that didn't start today, this is something that isn't going to end tomorrow, this is something... hopefully, eventually we can stop it," he said.

The Chicago Bulls released a statement on the shooting, saying, "The entire Chicago Bulls organization is deeply saddened by the news of Dwyane Wade's cousin, Nykea Aldridge. We send our deepest condolences to the entire Wade family during this difficult time."

The police investigation is ongoing.