OLD TOWN — An alderman blamed a fatal shooting in Old Town over the weekend on an unauthorized memorial party, but added that it appeared to be an isolated incident and not gang-related.
According to police, a 20-year-old man was shot and killed early Sunday morning on the 1300 block of North Hudson Avenue.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim Monday as Jabari Feazell, 20, of the 5200 block of West Crystal Street.
Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) said Monday initial police reports were that local residents were having a birthday party for someone who'd been murdered two years ago.
"It was kind of a memorial," he said.
The party spilled out into the street near the corner of Hudson and West Evergreen Avenue, Burnett said. The party hosts had not sought a permit for a block party, he added, and "I didn't give them any permission" for such a gathering.
Burnett said authorities try to be "sensitive" about such things and allow people to mourn, but that spilling into the street "after hours" was excessive, especially after the passage of two years.
Burnett said "people tend to be emotional" in such events, and that apparently helped lead to the shooting.
Police reported the victim, Feazell, got into a fight with two men and one pulled a gun. Feazell was shot in his head and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Police had no additional details Monday, and no one in custody, but detectives are investigating.
Burnett had previously identified the victim as a West Sider.
Burnett said police did not believe the shooting had anything to do with gangs.
"So far, it was just like a personal fight," he said. "We don't think it was a gang fight. We don't think there's going to be any retaliation for it."
