'They're all in disbelief': Chicago man shot to death was postal worker, aspiring actor
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man who was just getting his start as an actor is one of the latest victims of Chicago gun violence.
He was one of two men killed in a drive-by late Friday night in the Austin neighborhood. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray sat down with the victim's father.
"I mean, it's hard," said Herman Lofton.
Fighting through the tears and pain, Lofton is trying to face the reality his son, 29-year-old Xavier Lofton, was shot and killed Friday night.
"I couldn't imagine in a million years that I would be getting a call about any of my kids, especially him," the elder Lofton said.
Lofton said his son was a postal worker who was also an aspiring actor who just landed a couple of roles in independent movies.
Chicago police said Friday night, Lofton and a 29-year-old woman were in a vehicle driving southbound on Cicero Avenue when someone in a beige SUV began firing shots.
Lofton was shot in the head, thigh and armpit. He was taken to Mt. Sinai in critical condition and later died. Detectives quickly called his dad.
"I gave them the name, they asked for his birthday, I gave them that. And at that point, I'm just knowing it's something, something's not right because they were too adamant to meet me," Lofton said.
Lofton is the oldest of five siblings.
"They're all in disbelief because they just can't believe that something like this would happen, and it happened to him."
His first born, Xavier, meant everything to him.
"I just say god bless his soul because I'm really going to miss him."
The woman in the car with Lofton was also shot and is critical condition. A third person, a man, was in another car and he too was shot and later died.