59-Year-Old Chicago Artist Slain In Marquette Park In Apparent Robbery
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 59-year-old man was found shot to death before dawn Wednesday on a sidewalk in the Marquette Park neighborhood.
The family of the 59-year-old local artist is now hoping police find those responsible and bring them to justice. CBS 2's Sandra Torres spoke with the victim's family.
The family told CBS 2 the 59-year-old man was an innocent victim, who was walking out of the home he's lived in for more than 20 years, when someone shot him.
For Pastor Anthony Anderson, it is hard to believe his brother, Michael Anderson is now gone.
"It's still unbearable right now," Anderson said. "He was a very prominent artist, loving, caring. A man of God, minister himself."
Police said the 59-year-old was coming out of his house on South Washtenaw Avenue around 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, when two men approached him with a gun, to rob him. The man was shot at least once in the head.
Jesus Garcia said his wife also heard the commotion while they were in bed a few doors away.
"My wife woke me up, startled that shots had rang off; about four or five shots rang off," Garcia said. "She told me stay down, and after that we woke up."
What they didn't know at the time was a neighbor was being shot to death.
Anderson was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at Christ Hospital.
"He was a phenomenal person," said Alex LeVesque, a friend of the victim.
Those who knew him insist it is a tremendous loss for the community.
"His whole life," LeVesque said. "His whole legacy was about helping people."
Anderson had contracts with 13 to 14 schools in Chicago doing murals inside the schools.
Not only was Anderson a well known artist, but he was also passionate about helping young men get off the streets to lead a better life.
"He loved his community," Anderson said. "Its a shame that he was a victim of a community he was trying to help."
"For someone to come along and to take that perfect life, its just not right," LeVesque said. "Its just not right."
CBS 2 was told surveillance cameras from neighbors captured images of the suspects.
The family hopes the images will help find those responsible, but they are also working on raising funds for a reward, so that anyone with information may come forward.