Carlos Cortez was 22 when he was fatally shot on the evening of September 9, 2017, in the South Lawndale neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side. His killing occurred during 2017, a year marked by a high number of gun deaths in Chicago, and is described as part of a troubling wave of violence that year.

Reports link Cortez’s shooting to the broader pattern of gang-related and retaliatory violence that disproportionately affected young men in neighborhoods with enduring challenges such as poverty and entrenched gang presence. City crime data from 2017 show the West Side, including South Lawndale, experienced an acute level of gun violence that highlighted the need for intervention and support for affected families.

If anyone knew Carlos, witnessed the shooting, or has information about what happened on September 9, 2017, please come forward to assist the investigation.