Michael Bloomberg was due to arrive any minute at the downtown-Chicago headquarters of the daily-deals Web site Groupon. Andrew Mason, the 30-year-old founder and chief executive of what Forbes deemed “the fastest growing company ever,” was standing in the company’s glass-paneled cafeteria on the sixth floor, chatting with employees and popping blueberries into his mouth. Next to him was Spice, a spotted pony with a poofy Groupon-green taffeta bow wrapped around his neck. Spice was a gift for Mayor Bloomberg.

Mason, whose six-foot frame belies his pixie-ish personality, was wearing his usual jeans and long-sleeved button-down. His mop of brown hair was messy, his face stubbly. He looked like he was going to a baseball game, not meeting the mayor of New York.

“Spank the pony!” yelled one employee. LaughterThis is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

CHICAGO — Police say several people opened fire on a group of men standing on a sidewalk, wounding five before fleeing in a car in the city’s Washington Park neighborhood.

The shooting happened just before 9 p.m. Wednesday near the King Drive Green Line transit station.

Police say a 48-year-old man and a 43-year-old man were in critical condition with a gunshot wounds to the back. Three other men were listed in stable condition with wounds to the back or a leg.

Police say in a statement that “several male offenders” approached the group and fired shots.

No one is in custody.

41.793204 -87.617598