Ricardo Gomez, a 29-year-old Latino male, was tragically killed on September 18, 2018, in Chicago, IL. The incident occurred in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, where Gomez was sitting inside his 2007 Cadillac SRX in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant at 4158 S. Ashland Ave. Three alleged members of the La Raza street gang, Jose Gomez, 34, and brothers Steven Calderon, 25, and Edwin Calderon, 30, were charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting.
According to prosecutors, the three men pulled into the parking lot in a stolen gold Toyota. Armed with a rifle and a handgun, Steven Calderon and Jose Gomez approached the Cadillac while Edwin Calderon drove the Toyota behind the Cadillac. Ricardo Gomez attempted to back out of the parking spot but collided with the Toyota. Edwin Calderon, his face covered by a black half-mask, then got out of the Toyota and approached the Cadillac. All three men opened fire on the Cadillac, riddling Ricardo Gomez and the SUV with bullets before fleeing the scene.
Three police officers in the area heard the shots and arrived at the scene as the shooting ended. They recognized Edwin Calderon from prior interactions and by his facial tattoos. The officers pursued the Toyota to an alley near Sacramento and Archer avenues, where the three defendants abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. Each was subsequently taken into custody. Ricardo Gomez was transported to Stroger Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead. Investigators recovered two .45-caliber handguns and an AR-15 rifle used in the shooting. Both Calderon brothers were facing criminal charges in pending cases at the time of the shooting, leading to the revocation of their bonds for violating bail conditions.
