Jerry S. Aquino, a 15-year-old boy from Chicago, was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting on March 28, 2025. The incident occurred around 5:10 p.m. in the 2800-block of South Komensky Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood. Aquino was on the sidewalk when a vehicle approached, and an unknown suspect fired multiple shots at him. He was struck several times and was transported to Mt.
Sinai Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Aquino, who lived in the same block where he was fatally shot, was on his way home from welding training when the attack happened. Witnesses reported that a black Jeep Grand Cherokee with no front license plate turned onto Komensky Avenue, and its front-seat passenger began shooting at Aquino. In an attempt to escape, the teenager sprinted north and tried to hide behind a parked car. However, the shooter exited the vehicle and continued firing at him, while the driver also opened fire. Aquino was hit in the back, chest, and left foot. He was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. at the hospital.
The assailants, described as masked and dressed in all black, fled the scene in the Jeep. Authorities recovered five shell casings of different calibers at the location. The entire incident was captured on public and private surveillance footage. Despite this, no arrests have been made, and the suspects remain at large. Aquino’s father, Santiago Aquino, expressed his grief and called for justice, stating that he wanted to know who was responsible for his son’s death and why they targeted him.
