Natalia Ramirez, 27-year-old mother of two, was killed and two men were wounded in a shooting early Sunday in the Brighton Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side.
Natalia Ramirez and her sons, Julius and Alexander | Facebook
About 3:15 a.m., the three victims were inside a vehicle parked in the 3800 block of South St. Louis. Another car pulled up, and a gunman got out and fired at least 16 shots into the vehicle before driving away, according to Chicago Police.
Ramirez was shot in the head, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died at 4:02 a.m., police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said. She lived in the 3000 block of South Princeton.
A 22-year-old man who was shot in the back was also taken to Mount Sinai, police said. And a 28-year-old man was shot in the hip, and was taken to Stroger Hospital. Both of their conditions had stabilized.
Ramirez was an employee of the UIC College of Dentistry, a school spokesman confirmed.
She had worked in the Central Sterilization area school since May 2016, according to Dr. Susan Rowan, associate dean of clinical affairs.
“Natalia was a dedicated member of the college, serving students, faculty and colleagues. Natalia had a great impact on the College community, and we are greatly saddened by her passing. Natalia’s smiling face and friendly ways will be missed by all,” Rowan said.
A GoFundMe page set up after the shooting with a goal of $1,000 had already raised nearly $5,600 as of Sunday.
Ramirez “is a mother of two young boys, she is a hard working, joyous woman who endears herself to everyone she encounters, and who has become an integral part of the UIC College of Dentistry,” the GoFundMe page says.
“It is rare for us that work with her to ever see her without an ear-to-ear smile on her face. She will live on in the hearts of her two young children, her family, her friends, and all of us at the UIC College of Dentistry.”
—Homicide Watch Chicago and Chicago Sun-Times Wire