Jhonny Guaman, a 20-year-old male, was fatally shot on October 29, 2020, in the Buena Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL. Around 2:10 p.m., Guaman was walking in the 900 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue when two individuals approached him and opened fire. He was rushed to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the victim as Jhonny Guaman.
Witnesses reported that the assailants emerged from a black Jeep
and approached Guaman before one of them fired a gun, striking him in the chest. The offenders then fled the scene in the Jeep. Friends and family described Guaman as a hardworking young man who held two jobs and was on his way home from one of them when the incident occurred. The motive for the shooting was initially unclear, but it was later suggested that Guaman was targeted during a robbery attempt.
On November 5, 2020, a 15-year-old boy was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Guaman's death. The juvenile was arrested in the 1100 block of South Hamilton Avenue, near the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. According to police, the juvenile and another individual attempted to rob Guaman, and during the struggle, the juvenile shot him. The other suspects questioned in connection with the case were not charged.
Guaman's tragic death left a profound impact on his community, with friends and coworkers remembering him as a kind and diligent individual who died far too young. Fundraising efforts were initiated to cover his funeral and burial costs, with the hope of returning his body to Ecuador for burial. The case remains a stark reminder of the senseless violence that continues to plague communities and the devastating consequences it leaves in its wake.
