CHICAGO, IL - What started as a normal evening quickly turned deadly in the Portage Park area of Chicago after gunfire erupted by an angry neighbor. Nine-year-old resident Serabi Medina spent Saturday evening doing what neighbors say was one of her favorite things- riding her scooter. Her dad, Michael Medina, was at the curb speaking to friends who were visiting from out of town.
Rene Aquino was one of the friends speaking with Mr. Medina. He witnessed the entire scene, which police described as gruesome.
"He comes up to me on the passenger side, got the window down, like I said I’m on crutches, I got one leg, so I hug him through the window, he gives me a kiss, I give him a kiss," said Aquino.
Just a few minutes later, they heard the sound of a gun shot from across the street.
"He tells his daughter, matter of fact, grab your scooter, come on, you’re going to go upstairs, go upstairs," said Aquino. "She wasn’t even like halfway toward the doorway, when Ben says, ‘watch out, this guy just came out the building, he’s got a gun in his hand.’"
According to Chicago’s Fox 32, before they knew what was happening, suspect Michael Goodman was standing just feet away from the girl as she was heading inside.
"When he raised the gun up, Mike [Medina] seen him and said, ‘that’s my daughter!’ Mike starts moving towards him, he [Goodman] walks up to her and shoots her right in the head," said Aquino.
Witnesses say that Medina took the alleged shooter to the ground. Goodman was shot in the face during the scuffle and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Serabi was also transferred to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Goodman lived across the street from the Medina famliy. Neighbors say that he was always yelling at the kids in the neighborhood when they would play for being too loud.
Alluding to the attack being unprovoked, neighbor Destiny Hill spoke with reporters. "She was sweet," he said. "She would just ride her scooter up and down the sidewalk smiling. An innocent, innocent girl who did not deserve that."
Relatives and friends had plenty to say regarding the young girl. Similarly, there was also no shortage of thoughts on Goodman.
"He deserves everything that’s coming to him, he deserves the book thrown at him. How dare you think that you can take anyone’s life. And a child?" said Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez. “It just makes no sense, no sense at all. Serabi was a beautiful, young, vibrant little girl, she was friendly, she always smiled.”
Michael Medina was joined by family, friends and community members on Monday night. They gathered to honor the memory of Serabi. The released purple balloons, which was one of her favorite colors.
As of this writing, requests for comments from the Chicago mayor’s office had gone unanswered.
Rene Aquino was one of the friends speaking with Mr. Medina. He witnessed the entire scene, which police described as gruesome.
"He comes up to me on the passenger side, got the window down, like I said I’m on crutches, I got one leg, so I hug him through the window, he gives me a kiss, I give him a kiss," said Aquino.
Just a few minutes later, they heard the sound of a gun shot from across the street.
"He tells his daughter, matter of fact, grab your scooter, come on, you’re going to go upstairs, go upstairs," said Aquino. "She wasn’t even like halfway toward the doorway, when Ben says, ‘watch out, this guy just came out the building, he’s got a gun in his hand.’"
According to Chicago’s Fox 32, before they knew what was happening, suspect Michael Goodman was standing just feet away from the girl as she was heading inside.
"When he raised the gun up, Mike [Medina] seen him and said, ‘that’s my daughter!’ Mike starts moving towards him, he [Goodman] walks up to her and shoots her right in the head," said Aquino.
Witnesses say that Medina took the alleged shooter to the ground. Goodman was shot in the face during the scuffle and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Serabi was also transferred to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Goodman lived across the street from the Medina famliy. Neighbors say that he was always yelling at the kids in the neighborhood when they would play for being too loud.
Alluding to the attack being unprovoked, neighbor Destiny Hill spoke with reporters. "She was sweet," he said. "She would just ride her scooter up and down the sidewalk smiling. An innocent, innocent girl who did not deserve that."
Relatives and friends had plenty to say regarding the young girl. Similarly, there was also no shortage of thoughts on Goodman.
"He deserves everything that’s coming to him, he deserves the book thrown at him. How dare you think that you can take anyone’s life. And a child?" said Angee Gonzalez Rodriguez. “It just makes no sense, no sense at all. Serabi was a beautiful, young, vibrant little girl, she was friendly, she always smiled.”
Michael Medina was joined by family, friends and community members on Monday night. They gathered to honor the memory of Serabi. The released purple balloons, which was one of her favorite colors.
As of this writing, requests for comments from the Chicago mayor’s office had gone unanswered.
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