In a heart-wrenching incident on Chicago’s Northwest Side, a 72-year-old grandfather, Cesar Patino, was fatally shot moments after leaving a family birthday party in Logan Square. The Patino family is grappling with disbelief and sorrow as they mourn the loss of a beloved family member.
The celebratory atmosphere of Sunday night turned into a nightmare when bullets started flying on busy Fullerton Avenue near Harding Avenue. Patino, a grandfather to 12, had just attended a birthday party for one of his grandsons.
Patino’s granddaughter, Erika Harris, described him as “a very lovable and very respected person.” The family is still trying to comprehend the senseless loss of a pillar in their household.
Surveillance footage obtained by CBS 2 captured a white SUV believed to be involved in the shooting. As the vehicle rolled along Fullerton Avenue, gunfire erupted, marking the tragic end to Patino’s evening. Witnesses reported the white SUV making a U-turn before speeding away from the scene.
Patino’s wife, who was walking just behind him, discovered him on the sidewalk after the shooting. Karen Patino, another granddaughter, recounted the heartbreaking moment: “She gets closer and closer, and she recognizes his shoes.”
Despite the family’s desperate attempts to save him, Patino succumbed to a gunshot wound to the chest at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Kimberly Patino, another granddaughter, described the traumatic scene, noting, “He was trying to talk. I saw his mouth trembling, so I was like, he looked like he was there.”
As the family, shattered by the unexpected tragedy, was preparing for a Thanksgiving celebration, they now mourn the loss of a family-oriented man who always prioritized his loved ones.
There is no clear motive for the shooting as of late Monday, and no arrests have been made. Area 5 detectives are actively investigating the case.
The grieving family has issued a plea to the public, urging anyone with information to come forward. The community is left in shock, grappling with the impact of a seemingly random act of violence that claimed the life of a beloved grandfather.