Andrew T. Barth, a 21-year-old white male from Rockford, Illinois, tragically lost his life on May 26, 2014. Born on August 13, 1992, in Nashville, Tennessee, Andrew was the son of Tim and Rhonda Barth. He worked for his family at Modular Powerhouse before owning MPH Landworks. Andrew was known for his love of the outdoors, particularly fishing.
On the day of his death, Andrew Barth was involved in a fatal shooting incident. The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m.
in the area of Hutchins Avenue and Pearl Street on Rockford's near east side. Andrew was driving a pickup truck when he had an altercation with occupants of another vehicle, a dark-colored minivan. During this altercation, a black male in his 20s exited the minivan and opened fire on Andrew. After being shot, Andrew's pickup truck crashed into a parked car. He sought help at a nearby residence on Pearl Street, where he eventually collapsed. Despite being transported to SwedishAmerican Hospital, Andrew was declared dead at 2:09 p.m. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The response to the shooting was marred by a significant delay. An ambulance from OSF Lifeline, a private service under contract with the city, was mistakenly dispatched to West Pearl Avenue instead of Pearl Street. This error, combined with the unavailability of all seven of the Rockford Fire Department's ambulances, resulted in a 35-minute delay in getting Andrew to the hospital. His father, Tim Barth, expressed his frustration and grief over the delay, stating that while it couldn't be proven that a quicker response would have saved his son's life, Andrew wasn't given a fair chance due to the mishap.
As of the latest reports, no suspects have been arrested in connection with Andrew Barth's murder. The police have been investigating the case, talking to witnesses, and gathering information, but no definitive leads have been made public. The incident was not believed to be a random act of violence, but the exact motive and circumstances remain unclear. Andrew's family continues to seek justice and answers regarding his untimely death.
