On June 1, 2020, Jose Angel Gutierrez, a 28-year-old Hispanic male from Cicero, IL, was tragically killed during a night of violent looting and unrest in the suburb of Cicero. Gutierrez was an innocent bystander caught in the chaos that erupted amid protests. He was shot in the 2100 block of 50th Street and was subsequently taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The incident occurred around 7 p.m., and Gutierrez was one of two individuals who lost their lives that night due to the violence.
The Cicero police quickly launched an investigation into the shooting. Zion Haygood, a man from Chicago, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Jose Angel Gutierrez. Haygood, along with two other suspects who were apprehended but not immediately charged, were identified as looters who were not residents of Cicero. The investigation revealed that Gutierrez had no involvement in the looting and was merely an unfortunate bystander when he was shot.
The unrest in Cicero on June 1, 2020, led the suburb to declare a state of emergency. In addition to the death of Jose Angel Gutierrez, another man, 27-year-old Victor Cazares Jr., was also killed in a separate shooting near a grocery store on 14th Street and 50th Avenue. The violence and looting that night resulted in numerous arrests, with Cicero police taking around sixty people into custody by the end of the evening.
The case against Zion Haygood proceeded with charges of first-degree murder. The Cicero police and local authorities continued their efforts to bring justice to the victims and restore peace in the community. The tragic death of Jose Angel Gutierrez highlighted the dangers faced by innocent individuals during periods of civil unrest and the importance of maintaining order and safety in such situations.
