Man Playing Volleyball Fatally Shot As Fight Erupts in Garden Grove Park

An errant volleyball apparently triggered a fight that led to the fatal shooting of a Chicago man in a Garden Grove park, police said Sunday.

Michael Johnson, 33, was playing volleyball at Lee Bar Park on Westminster Avenue Saturday afternoon, and the ball bounced several times into an area where another group was having a birthday party, Sgt. Randy Tucker said. A fight broke out and several people were struck with baseball bats.

In the middle of the melee, several shots were fired. One struck Johnson in the shoulder and ricocheted into his heart, Tucker said. He died at Fountain Valley Community Hospital.

Police had no suspects in the shooting, Tucker said Sunday. “Our investigation is continuing, and we’re trying to tie down all the different statements we’ve got from the people involved.”