CHICAGO, IL – Just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 3, gunshots rang out in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood on Chicago’s Northwest Side, which is not typically a hotspot of violence or crime.
A man tried to force his way into a home and was repelled by the homeowner or resident (details are few at this time), who opened fire on the man. Neighbors described hearing four to five gunshots.
Police responded quickly to the scene, “swarming” the area, according to eyewitnesses. EMS transported the wounded intruder to Loyola Hospital for treatment.
The police later disclosed that the home invader, Alexis Quiles, was hit several times and staggered out of the house, collapsing down the block. Quiles died of his wounds on September 5, according to ABC 7.
Residents of the neighborhood were stunned by the gunfire, as Belmont Cragin – a working-class residential and retail neighborhood – is not typically a hotspot of crime, unlike others in that city.
The incident is being investigated further as a self-defense shooting, so more may emerge on the story.
All Neighborhoods Are Quiet… Until They Aren’t
On the one hand, some neighborhoods are a little less lively than others, and for many reasons… but on the other, it’s also that a quiet neighborhood is only quiet until it’s not.
And not just in Chicago. The Second City has long been associated with excessive violent crime, but in actual fact, a number of US cities have a higher homicide rate. All the problems that exist in Chicago exist elsewhere.
The homeowner responded immediately to someone breaking into their home in broad daylight. This probably suggests a home invasion where the burglar presumed the home entry, as it’s a known phenomenon.
If there’s a takeaway, it’s that obvious signs of occupancy can be a deterrent to burglars and that responding swiftly is the key to getting the upper hand in such an instance.
