The quiet neighborhood of Lincoln Park was rudely awakened to violence when 28-year-old actuary Kevin Patel was fatally shot in an attempted robbery, sending shockwaves through the community. The suspect, 25-year-old Josalyn Fowler, has been charged with murder and attempted armed robbery after Cook County prosecutors asserted that she tried to mislead police with a false 911 call, as stated in reports by the Chicago Sun-Times. During the court proceedings last Friday, it was revealed that Fowler and an uncharged co-offender approached Patel from behind before a struggle ensued, and Patel was shot on the 800 block of West Lill Avenue.
According to Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pekara, Fowler made the deliberate choice to quickly change the narrative for law enforcement, putting forth a calculated effort to deliberately throw off the investigation. She is accused of calling 911 after the shooting and falsely reporting the direction in which the supposed offenders fled. In a statement given to NBC Chicago, Pekara said, "A female voice stated that someone had just been shot on Lill and Halsted and that the offender ran west, which it should be noted is the opposite direction the defendant actually fled." This report, prosecutors allege, was another facet of Fowler's attempt to evade capture.
The community's response to Patel’s death has been one of sorrow and mobilization. A GoFundMe page set up by his brother, Neil Patel, has raised nearly $20,000 with the express purpose of contributing towards finding justice and supporting causes aimed at reducing violence, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Amid their grief, the Patel family fondly remembered Kevin as being "intelligent, kind, caring, and loving to anyone he met." Meanwhile, local officials, including 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudson, are calling for increased patrols, underscoring the necessity to keep the community safe and to aggressively continue the work necessary to curb gun violence.
Fowler, who remains in custody, is scheduled to reappear in court on May 14. She faces a legal process now closely watched by a community eager for answers and justice for a crime that not only claimed the life of a promising young man but also challenged the sense of safety among the residents of Lincoln Park.
