Ramon Dobine

A warm autumn afternoon in Chicago turned tragic on Wednesday, October 10, 2018, when Ramon Edward Dobine, a 22-year-old Black man known to some as “Waldo,” was shot and killed on the city’s South Side. The fatal encounter happened at approximately 4:30 p.m. in the Washington Park neighborhood, a community area known for its historic park and proximity to the University of Chicago, but also one that has contended with persistent gun violence.

Ramon was standing on the sidewalk in the 200 block of East 63rd Street, a busy thoroughfare lined with businesses and residential buildings, just steps from the 63rd Street/King Drive Green Line station. As people went about their daily routines, a vehicle suddenly pulled up alongside him. Without warning, someone from inside the vehicle opened fire, unleashing a spray of bullets. Ramon was struck in the head by the gunfire.

The attack was swift and brutal. Police and paramedics were called to the scene, but the severity of his injury was overwhelming. Ramon Edward Dobine was pronounced dead right there on the pavement where he had fallen. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed his identity and cause of death as a result of the gunshot wound.

The Chicago Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, with detectives from Area Central assigned to the case. They cordoned off the block, searching for shell casings and other physical evidence, and began canvassing the area for potential witnesses. In a neighborhood where many residents are reluctant to speak with law enforcement, and in a crime that happened with shocking speed, getting a clear description of the shooter or the vehicle proved to be a significant challenge. No one was immediately taken into custody.

In the days and weeks that followed, information about the investigation remained scarce. Police did not publicly release any details about a potential motive, persons of interest, or a description of the getaway car. The case, like many others in the city, seemed to hit a wall, leaving a family to grieve without answers and a community to grapple with another life lost too soon. Ramon’s death was one of hundreds of homicides in Chicago that year, a statistic representing a personal tragedy for his loved ones and a public crisis for the city.

Years have passed since Ramon Dobine was killed, and his case has grown cold. There have been no arrests, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The investigation officially remains open, pending any new information that may come to light. His loved ones are left with the enduring pain of their loss and the frustration of a justice system that has not yet been able to hold his killers accountable. The memory of the young man who lost his life on a sidewalk in Washington Park awaits a final chapter, one that can only be written if someone with information decides to come forward.