LITTLE VILLAGE — The shooting of a 76-year-old man Monday afternoon was the latest in a string of armed robbery attempts to hit Little Village in recent days.
Neighbors said the man, a retiree named Carlos, was sitting outside his home in the 2700 block of South Karlov Avenue when two men walked up and demanded money at gunpoint. Police said the robbers then shot the man in his right knee before running away.
The man is in serious condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said Tuesday afternoon.
"He's a nice man, very quiet, very respectable," said Eritania Gaspar, who lives in a house on the block. "I don't understand why they would do that to him, especially in broad daylight like that."
Gaspar and other residents on the block said this summer's violence and gang activity have been worse than they've ever seen it. Less than two months ago, a 20-year-old man was shot to death across the street from Monday's shooting.
"The insecurity has gotten out of control. ... All the time these gangs are shooting and selling drugs out here," Gaspar said. "The houses on this street are almost all families with young kids, and most of us don't even let our kids go outside anymore."
Gaspar added that she hears gunshots "every single day," and constantly hears young people shouting gang slogans.
Marilu Gonzalez, a florist who lives across the street from Gaspar, said she doesn't think the increase in violence is a coincidence.
"You used to see cops patrolling around here more, on their bikes and in cars, and now the only time I really see them is in the McDonald's down the street," Gonzalez said. "More and more, it feels like they just don't care."
Gaspar and Gonzalez both said they want to move out of the city, where they hope they won't have to worry as much about violence.
"It's just gotten way too crazy out here," Gonzalez said. "I can't do it anymore."
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