Ernie Perez, a 26-year-old Hispanic man, was shot and killed on September 14, 2020, in Albany Park in Chicago. The shooting happened about 8:30 p.m. while Perez was on the sidewalk in the 3600 block of West Argyle Street; he was struck in the armpit area and taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where the Cook County medical examiner confirmed his death. Area Five detectives opened a homicide investigation.

Perez’s death came during a short spike in violence in the neighborhood. In the week before his murder there were three shootings that wounded seven people, two fatally, a surge local officials linked to gang conflicts. The Albany Park police district recorded its most violent year since data collection began in 2011.

Family members, including his sister Pamela Lopez, held a peace march in Ronan Park on September 20, 2020, to honor Perez and call for an end to the violence; participants wore white T-shirts marked EP and a heart, and Perez’s 4-year-old niece Melanie Radillo carried his framed photo. No arrests or suspects have been identified and detectives continue to seek information.

Does anyone who knew Ernie or was in Albany Park that evening have information that could help investigators?