Detectives Search For Gunman Who Killed 78-Year-Old Man In West Englewood
CHICAGO (CBS) – Police are searching for the suspect who shot and killed a 78-year-old man in West Englewood.
A 78-year-old father of four was shot and killed late Thursday afternoon just before 5 p.m. in the West Englewood neighborhood, walking down the street. The man was just weeks shy of his 79th birthday was walking in the 6800 block of South Hermitage towards home - a block that neighbors say is save.
Police believe the man was not the intended target.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli has more.
Detectives at Area South Police Headquarters are trying to find the shooters who killed a 78-year-old man.
As 78-year-old Gene Gordon was walking home, a silver car filled with young men pulled alongside him. That is when someone inside the vehicle opened fire. Police say the killers were aiming for someone else, but missed and instead struck Gordon.
Gordon was shot in the head and rushed to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, but his injuries were too severe.
78-year-old Gene Gordon died at 5:45 p.m., police said.
LaShyra Western applied pressure to his wound at the scene.
"I was just hoping he wouldn't die because he was just in the way of a bullet," Western said.
Hermitage and 68th Street was shut down for hours after the shooting. Police and detectives snapped photos and gathered evidence that will hopefully lead them to a carload of killers.
"What it sounds like is wrong place, wrong time, but nowadays you don't know what is the right place because it is happening all over," said resident Barbara Blake.
Community activist in crisis responder Andrew Holmes was at the scene on Friday morning and explained to CBS 2 what happened.
"At this particular time he was by himself, individuals were in the car, extended their arm out of the window and discharged a weapon multiple times, and he was fatally struck in the head," Holmes said.
"He is not the intended target. The intended target was on the other block."
Holmes' organization is putting up a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.
Gordon's family members were too distraught to talk Friday afternoon, but neighbors took time to pay tribute and talk about the sudden loss.
"It can happen to anybody," said neighbor, Diane Redd. "But it seems like it is always the good ones, you know. The one that doesn't bother anyone, the one that helps everyone. It's always the good one."
So far no one is in custody for the shooting.
