Elgin group holds meeting to fight gang violence

The Gifford Park Association, which oversees the Elgin Historic District, has called for a special meeting with police to discuss ways to curb gang violence in the wake of a drive-by shooting.

"Anyone shooting a gun in broad daylight is alarming," said Fran Cella, the Gifford Park Association board member organizing the Tuesday meeting, which is open to the public.

While police investigate Friday's shooting as a gang-related incident, they also have beefed up presence in the city's oldest neighborhood with increased patrols, said Lt. Sean Rafferty. "I can't tell you how many officers, but the officers have been paying closer attention to the area," Rafferty said.

No arrests have been made in Friday's shooting that injured a 21-year-old man in the foot and that has some residents concerned it could trigger a rise in violence. However, residents like Jeff McIntire, who lives in the same block where the shooting took place, say Friday's incident should be viewed in context.

"I see that the neighborhood's improving," said McIntire, a four-year resident of the area. "Compared to when we first moved here, things are much better."

Last July, 18-year-old Julian Mascote and 21-year-old Francisco Franco were slain by a masked shooter in a gang-related incident that injured three others in the neighborhood on North Street near College Avenue.

In response to the violence and other east side shootings last summer, neighbors staged a peace walk with city leaders and the city formed a committee to look at gang intervention and prevention programs.

Neighbors rallied together last summer, but went their separate ways once the gang violence appeared to calm down, Cella said.

Tuesday's meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, will help bring people back to the fray, she said.

"What tends to happen ... is that there's a lot of interest in these types of incidents when they happen, but when nothing is happening in the neighborhood, it's very hard to mobilize people," said Cella, a former member of the city's street gang prevention and intervention committee.

At around 3:35 p.m., Friday's shooter fired "multiple rounds," from a passing vehicle at an unarmed victim in the 100 block of North Gifford Street between Division and Park streets, Rafferty said.

"It's not some random act," said Rafferty, who declined to name the type of gun used. "The victim was the intended target, by all indications."

People with any information about the shooting are asked to call (847) 289-2700.