Man fatally shot during argument in front of Elgin home

An 18-year-old woman is being questioned by Elgin police in connection with the slaying of a 29-year-old man this morning on the city's west side.

No charges have been filed against her as of this afternoon, Deputy Police Chief Cecil Smith said.

The shooting death occurred shortly after 2 a.m. in front of a single-family home on the 700 block of West Adams Street after the two were in an argument, police said.

"We're still trying to determine what the relationship was (between the two)," Smith said.

A neighbor, who declined to give his name but called police immediately after the incident, said he had just returned home from work when the shooting occurred.

The neighbor said he heard four shots - the first followed by a short pause and three in rapid succession - and then saw a woman speed away in a white car and two men drive off in a minivan, leaving the victim on the sidewalk outside his home.

The woman was arrested in an apartment on the 200 block of Dexter Avenue and taken to the station for questioning, police said.

The neighbor said he was later called to the police station to identify the car.

Police and the Kane County coroner's office refused to release the name of the victim. An autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.

In a prepared statement, police said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene and a preliminary investigation found that the victim and the woman were arguing just before the shots were fired.

Smith would not comment on other aspects of the investigation.

Late this morning, friends and relatives of the victim gathered in the police station lobby in a vain attempt to get more information about what had happened.

A man, who identified himself as the victim's friend but declined to give his name because he feared for his safety, said the victim worked as a bus boy at a local restaurant.

The victim immigrated from Mexico about two years ago and was taking citizenship classes.

"He was a hard worker. He was a nice guy. He never did drugs, anything like that," the friend said. "I still don't believe it. I can't believe I'm talking about him (in the past tense)."