Elgin teen killed in shooting at party

Originally published April 10, 2000

A weekend party on Elgin's east side ended early Sunday morning with a shooting that killed one teen and injured two of his friends.

Matthew Kimble, 19, of Elgin died at the scene, killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest after a fight broke out at the party, according to Kane County Deputy Coroner Steve O'Brien.

Elgin police have made no arrests in the triple shooting, which started with a small fight around 1 a.m. inside the townhouse at 275 Illinois Ave., where a large party had been going on all night, police said.

The fight moved outside, and an unidentified man pulled out a gun and started randomly shooting several rounds of bullets into a small crowd of people, said Elgin police Sgt. Brad Entler.

Peter Gonzalez, 19, of Elgin suffered three gunshot wounds, and he remains in stable condition at Sherman Hospital. The third victim, Derrek Svendsen, 20, of Elgin was shot in the leg, and he was treated and released from Sherman Hospital.

The killing is the city's first for the year, police said.

Detectives spent the day Sunday interviewing witnesses and following several leads.

"We're still investigating, but when all the facts are in, we believe an arrest will be imminent," Entler said, adding that a handgun was found nearby.

Police are not considering the killing and shootings gang- related, though gang members may have been involved.

"There were gang members there, and possibly involved, but our victims were not gang members," Entler said. "So we don't think it was gang-motivated at this time."

The three victims had been friends since age 9, growing up together in the same part of Elgin.

Friends and family members Sunday remembered Kimble as a "good kid" who enjoyed spending time with his friends. He valued his family relationships - often helping to take care of his younger brother and two younger sisters.

A 1998 graduate of Elgin High School, Kimble loved to play sports, particularly football, baseball and basketball.

"He's going to be missed - he was fun and had a good sense of humor," said his mother, Terry Kimble, as she gazed at a wall covered with plaques and medals Matthew won for his athletic accomplishments. "But he was only 19, just figuring out his life, and who knows what he would have done."

Terry Kimble and her husband, Richard, said their son's death doesn't make sense to them.

"They were good kids, not gangbangers - they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Terry said. "And someone had to bring a gun and go shooting at people."

Entler agreed.

"It seems the kids at the party were a good group, and the offender was at the wrong party," he said. "We don't have an understanding of why they were shot."

Visitation for Kimble is Tuesday from 2 to 10 p.m. at Laird Funeral Home 310 S. State St. in Elgin. Funeral services also are at Laird Wednesday at 10 a.m.