Man shot in the eye while riding in car on South Side

CHICAGO — A man riding in a car on Chicago’s South Side was shot in the eye Monday morning. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Police said the 40-year-old man was in the car in the 7500 block of South Paxton Avenue in the city’s South Shore neighborhood around 12:45 a.m. The man heard shots and felt pain. Police said he sustained a gunshot wound to the left eye and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

The mother of the 40-year-old man identified him as Maurice Blalock.

“They want to do surgery and I’m just believing in God to bring him out,” said JoAnn Blalock-Davis. “Restoration is what I want.”

Blalock-Davis says she doesn’t believe her son was a target.

“He doesn’t bother anybody. He’s 40 years old. He doesn’t gangbang. He’s not doing that. He’s just not part of that,” she said.

No one is in custody.

Police are investigating.