On the evening of September 10, 2024, 25-year-old Hispanic male Crismer Nieves was fatally shot in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on the 7100 block of South Yale Avenue, where a vehicle approached, and an individual exited and opened fire, striking Nieves multiple times. He was transported to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Surveillance footage from a nearby gas station captured Nieves entering the establishment shortly before the shooting. Shortly thereafter, Kevin Perez-Paredes, a 24-year-old Venezuelan migrant, arrived at the scene in a pair of SUVs with several others. The video showed Nieves and Perez-Paredes greeting each other and engaging in a brief conversation. Suddenly, Nieves attempted to flee, prompting the SUVs to follow him out of camera range.
Approximately two blocks away, witnesses reported seeing an SUV pull up, from which Perez-Paredes allegedly emerged with a firearm. As Nieves lay on the ground, unarmed and pleading for his life, Perez-Paredes reportedly shot him multiple times in the head and arm. The act was described by Judge Caroline Glennon-Goodman as an execution.
Following the incident, Chicago police utilized license plate information from the gas station's surveillance footage to locate the suspect's vehicle. Upon apprehension, Perez-Paredes confessed to the shooting during an interview with authorities. Additionally, investigators discovered text messages on his phone in which he admitted to the crime.
Perez-Paredes was subsequently charged with murder and remains in custody without bail. His defense attorney argued that the act was targeted solely at Nieves, suggesting a personal motive. Perez-Paredes had been residing in Chicago Heights for approximately four months prior to the incident.
The tragic death of 25-year-old Hispanic male Crismer Nieves underscores the ongoing challenges of gun violence in Chicago and has sparked discussions about community safety and the integration of migrants into urban environments.
