A shooting incident occurred near the Wadsworth Elementary School in Woodlawn, Chicago, repurposed as a migrant shelter last Friday, November 17. This incident left a 25-year-old man critically wounded and led to the arrest of 26-year-old suspect, Cleber Fernandez.
A Chicago Tribune report states that police reached the area of the shooting around 7:30 p.m., finding the victim had sustained abdominal and lower back injuries. Rushed to the University of Chicago Medical Center, he was reported in critical condition. Meanwhile, police apprehended Fernandez within the area on the same day, and he has since been charged for one felony count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.
An altercation between Fernandez and the victim that morning might have been connected to the incident, according to a CBS News report. When the victim later met friends at a park near 64th and University, Fernandez allegedly confronted the group and another dispute ignited. The 25-year-old was then shot and Fernandez fled. He was eventually found in an Aldi parking lot near 66th and Cottage Grove.
Contrasting views, mainly amongst Woodlawn community members, regarding the migrant shelter have been vocal since its establishment. After a physical altercation and subsequent vandalism at the shelter on July 14, there were 17 migrants expelled from the facility by city authorities. Moreover, officials issued a permanent ban to the shelter system for four individuals. A subsequent community meeting held with city officials saw local residents expressing their grievances. The concerns were about migrants allegedly partaking in untoward activities such as drug use and prostitution, as well the general nuisances of littering and loitering, as stated by the Chicago Tribune.
As Cleber Fernandez faces his impending trial, the Wadsworth shelter continues to remain a subject of discussion among the community, the city of Chicago, and the migrants themselves.
