A routine morning dog walk in Edgewater turned into a deadly ambush on May 6, when 37-year-old Nick Calzaretta was shot and killed after an alleged stalker confronted him, according to Chicago police. The suspect, 53-year-old Ammar Houssamo, then shot himself and was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Cook County prosecutors have charged Houssamo with first-degree murder and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon. He was taken into custody following the early-morning shooting in the 1400 block of West Thome Avenue, a residential stretch near neighborhood schools. The attack drew a heavy police response, and Calzaretta was later pronounced dead at Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to NBC Chicago.
Months Of Stalking Detailed In Court Filings
Court records reviewed by reporters show the harassment began in August 2023, when Houssamo allegedly first contacted Calzaretta on a dating app. What started as a message reportedly escalated into a barrage of online communication, including repeated messages, social media posts, and emails sent to Calzaretta’s co-workers, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Calzaretta obtained an emergency protective order in September 2023. In later court filings, he said the stalking became so intense that he resigned from his job and avoided normal daily activities because he was afraid, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
His family now says the legal protections on paper did not come close to protecting him in real life. “A piece of paper will not protect him from bullets,” his brother Russell told the Chicago Sun-Times, urging lawmakers to toughen enforcement of protective orders and tighten gun regulations.
Gunfire On A Quiet Block
Police say the shooting erupted around 7:20 a.m. as Calzaretta was out walking his dog. Neighbors reported hearing a rapid burst of gunfire and then a flurry of sirens on the usually calm block. When officers arrived, they found two people shot. Investigators recovered two handguns at the scene and continue to canvass the area for witnesses and additional video, according to CBS Chicago.
Legal Stakes For The Accused
Houssamo faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated unlawful use or possession of a weapon. Under Illinois law, first-degree murder is defined in 720 ILCS 5/9-1 and can carry a potential life sentence. The weapons counts fall under Article 24 of the Criminal Code, which covers unlawful firearm possession and related offenses, according to the Illinois Compiled Statutes.
How prosecutors apply those statutes, and what additional counts they may add, will determine the full range of penalties Houssamo could face if convicted.
What Comes Next In Court
With charges filed, the case now moves into the Cook County court system. Detectives are still investigating how Houssamo allegedly obtained the firearms recovered at the scene and are building a fuller timeline of the months leading up to the killing. Prosecutors are expected to present more evidence in the coming weeks as hearings continue, according to NBC Chicago.
Fresh Fuel For Reform Push
The killing has quickly become a rallying point for advocates who say the system repeatedly fails people who report stalking and harassment. Calzaretta’s family and local anti-violence organizers are calling for tighter monitoring of those under protective orders and swifter action when those orders are violated.
In Springfield, lawmakers this session have introduced measures that would expand firearms-related restraining orders and increase penalties for ignoring protection orders. One of the proposals, HB1343, is among the legislative efforts cited by supporters who say tragedies like Calzaretta’s killing are evidence that the status quo is not working.
