An Indian-American man named Kevin Patel was shot dead in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area on Wednesday night, April 16. He was 28 years old.
The incident happened around 9:20 pm on West Lill Avenue, a residential area. The reason behind the shooting is still not known, according to CBS News.
Patel was found injured by a local resident, Garret Moores, who heard a gunshot and ran outside. He found Patel lying on the ground in front of a neighbour’s house.
Moores used towels to try and stop the bleeding from a gunshot wound on Patel’s chest and immediately called 911. Two other people also helped, and Patel was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Centre. Unfortunately, he died while receiving treatment. He was identified later by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
According to witnesses, a man and a woman were seen running away from the scene towards the east. A woman named Clara told ABC7 Chicago that she saw a package and a sweatshirt on the ground where the shooting took place.
Police roped off the area and checked the surroundings carefully.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and the suspects have not been identified. Chicago Police are investigating the case.
Officials said they will increase police presence in the area, which is usually considered to be safe. Detectives from the Belmont Area are handling the investigation.
Local leader Timmy Knudsen, who is the alderman of Chicago’s 43rd Ward, has requested anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Residents of Lincoln Park said they were shocked and disturbed by the event.
In the United States, gun violence remains a serious issue. According to the latest report from the Pew Research Centre, around 47,000 people died from gun-related injuries, with about 17,000 of those being homicides.
The American Psychiatric Association has called gun violence a national problem. Even though gun homicide rates have come down slightly, they are still nearly seven times higher than in most other countries.
