A Chicago teenager, shot during a violent weekend in the Windy City, was covered with a sheet even though he was still breathing at the scene of the shooting.

The teen identified as 17-year-old Erin Carey was one of six other people shot when two cars circled a party around 4:50 a.m. on Monday, June 18. Paramedics believing the teen was dead, covered him with a white sheet.

According to The Chicago Tribune, the sheet covered him for at least an hour. Bystanders yelled at crime scene investigators as Carey twitched.

A woman nearby yelled, “He ain’t dead!”

Others around begged the teen to get up. Paramedics were finally alerted to Carey's condition. EMTs began to perform chest compressions and placed him in an ambulance. Police and fire officials report he was taken to a nearby hospital and placed on life support.

This man was shot at 4:30 this morning in Chicago and they had his body covered up as if he was dead. Paramedics didn’t even try to save him until someone pointed out that he was still breathing smh.. pic.twitter.com/7RDaZUn7PR

— Marcus. (@Marcus_OTF) June 18, 2018

"That individual has a catastrophic injury," said Chicago Police First Deputy Superintendent Anthony Riccio. "He was shot in the head and the prognosis is not good. I do understand that paramedics looked at him, believed him to be deceased, covered him with that sheet and moved on to another individual who was nearby who was also shot. They saw motion, movement underneath the sheet. Officers who were present notified paramedics, this man is still alive."

ABC 7 Chicago reports Fire Commissioner Jose Santiago is not sure how the teen was mistaken for dead. EMS protocols state paramedics are supposed to triage patients when responding to a 911 call.

"We're looking into it right now. We're trying to piece everything together. We're looking at the computers where they put down all that information. Paramedics put down that information," Santiago said.

It is unknown how long Carey laid there unattended. Police were the first to be alerted after the bystanders made them aware. "They saw motion, movement underneath the sheet," he added. "Officers who were present notified paramedics."

Four men in their early 20s were also injured in the shooting, and a 22-year-old woman was killed. Investigators are looking at surveillance camera footage to find possible suspects connected to the shootings. At the moment, there are no leads.

The teen passed away 20 hours after the incident according to CBS Chicago.

Erin Carey

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