2 members of Empire Dance team killed, 3 injured in crash on Bishop Ford Freeway
Two members of a Chicago dance team were killed, and three others were injured in a crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway early Thursday morning.
Illinois State Police responded to the northbound lanes near 111th Street around 1:15 a.m. for a single-vehicle rollover crash.
Police said two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Three others were taken to local hospitals with injuries, ISP said.
Empire Dance founder and CEO Latisha Waters confirmed the victims were members of the team. Dance team officials identified the victims as Lazarus "Hollywood" Gonzalez, 25, and Isaiah "Bo" Flemister, 17.
Waters said the team was just in Hamilton Park Wednesday night and never imagined that would be the last time they would see Gonzalez and Flemister.
"I would never in a million years thought that I will experience this," she said.
Waters said one of the injured victims is in grave condition, and another victim broke both legs. A third victim was released from the hospital with minor injuries.
The group was together after practice at the time of the crash.
Illinoi State Police said they believe the driver lost control of the car for an unknown reason, causing the rollover crash.
"I lost a brother," Waters said. "I sat there and seen him on the ground that's somebody that's close to me."
Dance director Demonica Lee said the award-wining team was practicing together at the Chicago Park District facility in Hamilton Park.
"[Hollywood] was there. He was able to teach the kids. They were able to get their last little interaction with him before he… before his sou would leave the Earth," she said.
CBS News Chicago spoke to Hollywood in 2023 as his team prepared for the Bud Billiken Parade. He said he was the survivor of a shooting and never thought he'd dance again. He also told us how much his team meant to him, calling them a "family."
"I love it because I've been here since I was a kid. I feel like dance is a way to let ourselves be ourselves, express what we need and just give the people a show," Hollywood said during a 2023 interview. "I think it's very fun. We're actually doing something that's really serious to all of us. This team is like a family."
Lee said breaking the news to the other kids on the dance team is going to be heartbreaking.
"We have literally over 50 kids that he has led and will literally have an impact from this," Lee said.
There are still questions about what led to the crash and the conditions of the victims that remain hospitalized. An investigation by Illinois State Police is ongoing.