Jonathan Garcia | Homicide Watch Chicago

Ivan Gomez faces weapons charges in Logan Square shooting that killed Jonathan Garcia

Michael Lansu — Fri, 22 May 2015 13:27:25 -0500

Ivan Gomez / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Sun-Times Media

A man has been charged with two weapons-related offenses in connection with a fatal gang-related shooting last week outside a Logan Square grocery, but he was not charged with murder, authorities said.

Ivan Gomez, 21, was charged with felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a street gang member and felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without a FOID card, police said.

The charges stem from a May 13 shooting that killed 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia outside FoodSmart Urban Market, at 2901 W. Armitage Ave., authorities said. A second man was also wounded in the shooting.

Authorities said Garcia and a 33-year-old man got into a fight with two other men outside the store.

During the fight, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Garcia and the 33-year-old, authorities said.

Garcia, 19, of the 3300 block of West Palmer Street, was shot in the chest and died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center less than 30 minutes later, authorities said.

The 33-year-old man was shot in the shoulder and neck, police said. He was also taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.

Investigators recovered a .38-caliber revolver at the scene, police said.

Prosecutors said Garcia initiated the shooting, which was captured on video, so Gomez was not charged with murder, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Gomez was ordered held without bond and will be back in court May 26, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Five shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 18 May 2015 09:23:12 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

At least five men were shot to death last week throughout Chicago.

Only one of the killings happened over the weekend, when at least 47 people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 24-year-old Ronnie Montgomery was found shot in the chest and shoulder on a sidewalk in the 1300 block of West Hastings Street early Saturday, authorities said.

Montgomery, of the 700 block of West Marquette Road, died less than two hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Thursday, 19-year-old Alvin Vincent Randolph was shot in the head in the 6400 block of South Damen Avenue in West Englewood about 7:25 p.m., authorities said.

Randolph, who lived on the block, died less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, 19-year-old Jonathan Garcia was shot in the chest during a fight outside the FoodSmart Urban Market at 2901 W. Armitage Ave. in Logan Square about 11:10 p.m., authorities said.

Garcia, 19, of the 3300 block of West Palmer Street, died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center less than 30 minutes later, authorities said. A 33-year-old man was also wounded and taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.

In Roseland, Terrance Canady and Shamari Salter were killed when gunfire erupted in the 200 block of West 107th Street in Roseland about 8 p.m. Wedneaday, authorities said.

Canady, 19, of the 11300 block of South Stewart Avenue, was shot in the head and abdomen and died later that night at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said.

Salter, 19, of the 0 – 100 block of East 100th Place, was shot in the head and died at the scene, authorities said.

A third man was shot in the chest and and taken to Christ Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

Additionally, 22-year-old Eric Langham died Monday after being shot July 21, 2014, near South Laporte Avenue and West 46th Street, authorities said. An autopsy determined Langham, of the 4400 block of South Lavergne Avenue, died from complications of multiple gunshot wounds, and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 142 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Jonathan Garcia fatally shot outside Logan Square grocery

Michael Lansu — Thu, 14 May 2015 10:48:57 -0500

Jonathan Garcia was killed, and another man was wounded, when gunfire erupted outside a Logan Square grocery Wednesday night.

Authorities said Garcia and a 33-year-old man got into a fight with two men outside the FoodSmart Urban Market at 2901 W. Armitage Ave. about 11:10 p.m.

During the fight, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Garcia and the 33-year-old, authorities said.

Garcia, 19, of the 3300 block of West Palmer Street, was shot in the chest and died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center less than 30 minutes later, authorities said.

The 33-year-old man was shot in the shoulder and neck, police said. He was also taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.

Ald. Joe Moreno (1st) posted a statement about the shooting on his Facebook page:

This was a gang-related shooting. A Latin Lover was shot and killed, and another gang member has been wounded.

There is video footage and the police are investigating. They recovered a gun but the person that shot the victim got away.

I will be working with the 14th District Police Department to organize a community meeting on the two recent shootings in our area in an attempt to improve our safety efforts.

By Thursday afternoon, the crime scene tape had been removed and customers entered the store near the spot where police found Garcia's body the previous night.

Jeannette Hamman, who has been a teacher in the neighborhood for 15 years, did not know a man was shot to death outside the store Wednesday night.

"Logan Square is somewhat of a changing neighborhood ... there is still a certain element you watch out for, but overall it has great neighbors and a strong community."

Another customer, who asked to be identified only as Alex, said he works nearby and heard about the killing Thursday morning.

"I feel like its an everyday thing," he said. "It's the whole city, mostly on the South Side, but here a little bit too."

Garcia's death is the sixth slaying so far this year in the Logan Square community. Most recently, 24-year-old Mikal Johnson — a onetime star athlete at Rolling Meadows High School who later studied music at Columbia College Chicago — was gunned down in the 2700 block of West Bloomingdale Avenue on April 8.

Investigators recovered a .38-caliber revolver at the scene, police said.

A man inside the store during the shooting said he heard four shots. He did not want to be identified.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area North detectives are investigating if the shooting was gang related.

-- Sun-Times Staff, Network Video Productions