CHICAGO — A 59-year-old man was killed in an apparent robbery attempt in Marquette Park Wednesday, just months after a 71-year-old man was shot during a robbery attempt in the same neighborhood, according to police and neighbors.
At 4:09 a.m., Michael Anderson was in the 6600 block of South Washtenaw Avenue when shots rang out, officials said said.
He was shot in his head and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said. Police have not released other details about the shooting.
Neighbors believe the man was leaving for work when a robbery turned deadly. Gwendolyn Culverson said detectives and police technicians were seen this morning inspecting the man's car, which was filled with boxes in the backseat and a leather folder in the front seat.
Blood could be seen on the sidewalk next to the car Wednesday morning.
"We talked but I didn't know him like that," Culverson said. "He was nice. I think his wife died a few years ago."
It is the second attempted robbery and shooting of an older man in Marquette Park in as many months.
On Sept. 6, a 71-year-old man was watering his front lawn when two robbers shot him during a scuffle. The shooting shocked the neighborhood, which pleaded for information in the case.
A 30-year-old man has been charged in that case. No arrests have been made in the early Wednesday slaying, police said.
Culverson began speaking to an officer and asked if she should be scared by the events, to which the officer said, "I don't know."
"I just asked them, 'Should I be scared?' I don't know," Culverson said. "I've lived here 24 years and I ain't never seen anything like this before."
John Pittman lived two houses from the man and said he would see him coming home around 5 p.m. many days. He said he was shocked to see such a violent crime on his block, the first he has encountered since moving there in 1991.
"I ain't never seen anything like this," he said.
As for older men in his neighborhood being targeted for robberies before being shot, Pittman, 67, said he just stays vigilant and tries not to worry.
"People say we should move — where should we go?" Pittman said. "It goes on all over the world. At least we know some people here.
"You just try to be as safe as you can," Pittman said.
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