Nurse Killed By Chicago Gang in a Case of Mistaken Identity
By Amy Blitchok
On November 12, Frank Aguilar, BSN, RN a 32-year-old native of Chicago and an employee at the Misericordia nursing home was murdered while visiting his family and doing laundry.
Aquilar was going about his normal routine when he became the victim of an ongoing turf war in Little Village between the Latin Kings and the Two Six gang. This war has resulted in many instances of gun violence and has the entire community on edge.
The shooting occurred as Aguilar was unloading his laundry. Two suspects in a Jeep Commander drove by, spotted Aguliar and made a three-point turn to make another pass by the victim. They were reportedly on the hunt for rival gang members and took two shots at Aguilar in what police are calling a case of mistaken identity.
Aguilar had no affiliation with gangs and wanted to become an emergency room trauma nurse so that he could do his part to help combat the gun violence that continues to plague Chicago. He was engaged to Lindsey Owens and had a bright future that was cut short by a tragic incident.
Here's How To Help Aguilar's Family
Aguilar's sister has set up a GoFund me account for her brother. In the description, she wrote,
I am the oldest sister of Franky. My brother was on his way home from work when he became a victim of gun violence. Sadly he did not survive. He graduated with top honors from Malcolm X College and St.Xavier University. He was a BSN Registered Nurse at Misericordia Home, he dedicated his life in helping others, he was always selfless, kind and compassionate. We are asking for help to cover his burial expenses. We appreciate everyone’s support.
The family has reached about $20,000 of their $30,000 goal - click here to donate.
19-Year-Old Charged With Aguilar’s Murder
Fortunately, police were able to quickly identify the suspects despite a lack of evidence and eyewitnesses at the scene. They were able to pull footage from nearby private surveillance cameras and use cell phone records to identify the two suspects.
Armando Lopez, who was out on bond for charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, was identified as the driver. The car was registered to his brother-in-law, who is also a documented member of the Latin Kings. Once police had honed in on Lopez, the community came forward with information about his whereabouts before and after the shooting.
On November 15th, the police tried to stop him while he was driving, which sparked a high-speed chase. Eventually, Lopez crashed his car and took off on foot before police were finally able to take him into custody. Lopez’s attorney maintains that the suspect is a gainfully employed forklift operator and is only guilty of being in the area when the shooting took place.
The judge found that the police had ample evidence to prove Lopez was the driver and he is now being held without bail. The suspected shooter has also been identified, but an arrest has yet to be made.
Aguilar’s family is thankful to the police for their quick action and the community for stepping forward with information despite any fear of retaliation. While Chicago and the entire nursing community has lost a beloved individual, it appears that there will be some measure of justice in this case.
