Who was Kevin Patel? Indian-American shot dead in Chicago's Lincoln Park

Kevin Patel, a 28-year-old Indian-American man, was fatally shot in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighbourhood on Wednesday night, sparking calls for enhanced security and intensified policing in the area.

The Chicago Police Department said the shooting occurred around 9:20 pm in the 800 block of West Lill Avenue, just steps from the office of 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen. Officers responded to reports of gunfire and found Patel lying on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his identity.

Witnesses reported seeing a man and a woman fleeing the scene before police arrived. No arrests have been made so far, and the case is under investigation by Area Three detectives.

The fatal shooting left local residents shaken. Garrett Moores, a neighbour who rushed to Patel’s side, described the desperate efforts to save him. “I grabbed towels and ran down,” he said. Guided by a 911 operator, Moores and another neighbour performed chest compressions. “You almost build a personal connection in those moments. It was devastating,” he added.

Sophia Matheson, another Lincoln Park resident, said the proximity to the violence was disturbing. “It's the closest physically I've ever been to a death... just a realization of how quickly it can be taken away from you,” she said. “That person’s family having to get that call — it’s devastating.”

In response to the killing, Alderman Knudsen issued a statement acknowledging the urgency to address rising crime. “This is yet another reminder of the work we have to do as a City to combat violence... I’ve asked the 19th District to increase patrols in the area,” he said.

As investigators work to identify suspects, the incident has reignited concerns about public safety in one of Chicago’s busiest neighbourhoods.