Executive Summary
- Darwin Tirado, 22, was fatally shot during a carjacking on West Waveland Avenue in Northalsted.
- Investigators have linked the victim’s stolen vehicle to a second homicide in Bronzeville occurring within the hour.
- Chef Art Smith identified the victim as an employee at his Reunion restaurant and appealed for public assistance.
- Chicago Police have not yet made arrests but are investigating connections to other recent crimes.
Chicago Police are investigating a sequence of violent crimes involving a fatal carjacking in the Northalsted neighborhood that investigators believe is connected to a second homicide in Bronzeville. The initial incident claimed the life of 22-year-old Darwin Tirado, an employee at Chef Art Smith’s Navy Pier restaurant, who was shot and killed last Wednesday.
According to police reports, Tirado was seated in his vehicle on West Waveland Avenue with another individual when two armed men approached them. The assailants demanded the vehicle and personal property before shooting Tirado as they fled. Law enforcement officials stated that the vehicle stolen in the attack was subsequently used in another deadly shooting in Bronzeville less than an hour later, where a man was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Police sources confirmed they are actively investigating the forensic connection between the two homicides. While it remains unclear if a third attempted carjacking reported shortly afterward involved the same suspects, authorities noted that the description of the vehicle used matches across the incidents. No arrests have been made in connection with the spree as of Monday.
During a memorial service in Northalsted, Chef Art Smith described Tirado, a student at City Colleges of Chicago, as a “joyful young man” and a talented chef. Smith, whose family has employed Tirado’s mother for over 20 years, urged the public to come forward with any information, stating, “I want this person brought to justice.”
Investigative Outlook
The correlation between these violent incidents underscores a critical operational challenge for Chicago law enforcement as they track a mobile threat spanning multiple neighborhoods. The rapid succession of the crimes suggests a high degree of danger to public safety, shifting the investigative focus toward identifying the suspects through vehicle tracking and ballistics evidence to prevent further violence. Authorities are relying heavily on community intelligence to break the case.
It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
