CHICAGO (WGN) — Police are looking for suspects after a couple was dragged out of their vehicle and killed not long after the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Chicago on Saturday night.
Just before 9:15 p.m., police responded to the 3200 block of West Division Street on the report of an attack and subsequent shooting. Police said a 24-year-old man, later identified as Gyovanny Arzuaga and his 25-year-old partner Yasmin Perez, the mother of their two children, were rushed by a group of men.
Perez was shot in the neck and was initially transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. Family and their attorney said she passed away on Tuesday morning.
City cameras captured the crime that started with a minor traffic accident.
“They are seen hitting and impeding the woman who is the driver of the vehicle and then eventually dragging her out,” CPD Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said. “What the video doesn’t show is there a shot discharged and that appears when the female gets struck. And then the male comes out and he’s almost on top of her and then you see that second suspect clearly holding a gun and shooting him in the head — almost execution style.”
The ambush took place only hours after the Puerto Rican Day Parade was held in the same area.
“It wasn’t just one person there were others standing by who dragged that poor woman out of a car,” Mayor Lightfoot said. “The man who was killed literally used his body as a shield and he paid for that with his life.”
Arzuaga was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was one of 10 victims who died in weekend violence.
A friend of Arzuaga said he moved to Schaumberg to “have a better life” and was from the neighborhood. A memorial has been set up near the scene of the shooting.
A memorial will be held near Division and Spaulding Tuesday at 6 p.m.
No suspects are in custody at this time. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com.