Julien Gonzalez, a 2-year-old boy, was tragically killed on October 6, 2018, in Chicago, IL. The incident occurred during a house party in the Hermosa neighborhood. Julien, who was of Hispanic descent, was standing on the sidewalk with an 18-year-old man near the mouth of an alley when shots were fired. The shooting stemmed from a petty argument between two women at the party, which escalated when Alexander Varela, a 27-year-old gang member, inserted himself into the altercation.
Varela, who was not invited to the party, demanded to know the gang affiliations of the partygoers and, upon receiving no satisfactory answer, ordered a fellow gang member to start shooting.
Julien was struck in the neck by a bullet and was rushed to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The 18-year-old man, who was also shot, tried to protect Julien by running towards the house with him. The man was shot in the leg and was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized. Both victims were innocent bystanders who had nothing to do with the initial argument.
Alexander Varela was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery. He was held without bond and was due to appear in court on November 9, 2018. The investigation revealed that Varela had directed another gang member to shoot into the crowd, resulting in Julien's death. The firearm used in the shooting had a laser sight attached to it, and detectives found 9-mm shell casings at the scene that were fired from the same gun.
The Hermosa community was deeply affected by Julien's death, marking him as the youngest victim of gun violence in Chicago that year. The community banded together with police to plead for information leading to an arrest, and witnesses from the party bravely came forward with crucial information that led to Varela's arrest. The shooter, however, was not immediately apprehended, and the investigation remained open.
