Milton Pillacela Ayora, 31, a rideshare driver from Chicago, was fatally shot on the night of February 20, 2023, while driving for Lyft in the Little Italy area of the Near West Side. His Acura was stopped at a red light at Roosevelt Road and Blue Island Avenue near St. Ignatius College Prep when a silver SUV pulled alongside and four men inside opened fire. The rear window of Ayora’s car was riddled with bullet holes. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m. A 34-year-old passenger was shot in the legs and taken to Stroger; the passenger is expected to recover.

Ayora had immigrated from Cuenca, Ecuador, 15 years earlier, worked as a bus boy by day and drove for Lyft at night, and was saving for a house. Family and authorities say the passenger may have been the intended target because of the passenger’s history with the Chicago Police Department. A vigil was held at the scene and Lyft issued condolences and support to the family and the injured passenger.

Did anyone in the Little Italy area see the silver SUV or the occupants that night, or have information that could help investigators?