BY KENNY NGUYEN
Homicide Watch Chicago
Aaron Starling tried to promote peace in his Near West Side community through sports, a friend said.
Starling enjoyed teaching neighborhood children a variety of sports, said friend Chris Brandew.
On Nov. 10, Starling was shot multiple times and police officers found him inside an apartment in the 2400 block of West Harrison Street, authorities said.
Starling, 29, who lived on the block, was declared dead less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Brandew said Starling was like family to him.
“Aaron was a humble guy. There were times when people were fighting each other during the baseball games and Aaron stepped in to stop it all,” Brandw said. “He was more of a older brother to me. When my brothers weren’t around, he was definitely one of the guys that looked out for me and kept me out of trouble.”
Starling attended Southern Illinois University and Brandew said his friend once invited him to come tour the Carbondale campus.
After college, Brandew said Starling owned a rim shop.
Brandew, who had not seen Starling since 2012, said it is not the first time he has lost a friend to violence.
“I was shocked when it happened because my other friend was killed also,” Brandew said.
Nobody has been charged for the murder.
Area Central detectives are investigating.