'Now I fear for my kids' safety': At least one killed in shooting at Elgin party

Gunfire erupted during a gathering at an Elgin apartment building early Sunday morning, leaving at least one man dead and at least four other partygoers injured, authorities said.

The male victim succumbed to his injuries after being taken from the shooting scene, at the Blackhawk Apartments on Congden Avenue, to a hospital for treatment, police said. His name is being withheld and will be released by the Kane County coroner's office after an autopsy, authorities said.

Police did not disclose details Sunday on the other victims' injuries or their conditions, or any details regarding possible suspects.

Sunday night, the Cook County medical examiner's office said Jonathan King, 32, of Elgin, died in an incident on the 900 block of Congden Avenue. No cause of death was given, and the office did not say whether King was the man Elgin police said died in the shooting, was one of the others hurt in the shooting or even was involved in it.

King had been taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

According to police, officers responding at 1:59 a.m. Sunday to a report of a shooting on the 800 block of Congdon Avenue found five people with injuries. They were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

Officers later learned that a sixth victim had self-transported to a hospital, police said.

Residents at the Blackhawk Apartments on the city's east side milled outside later Sunday morning as police investigators conducted interviews and gathered evidence. Maintenance crews repaired a shattered door and swept up debris, while some tenants checked their vehicles in the parking lot for damage.

Trishana Curtis, a mother of two who lives in the building where the shots were fired, said she and her children spent the night with her sister.

"Now I fear for my kids' safety," she said. "I've never been through anything like this. It was so close. I don't even want to bring my kids back."

Another resident, Vi Barber, said she was asleep when she was awakened by vibrations from people stomping around, and then the sound of gunshots.

"It freaked me out," she said.

After the first shots were fired, she heard someone say, "Are you all right?"

"And I heard some more poppings," Barber said.

Barber said she has called police several times to complain about noisy people at the apartment building.

"I'm moving," she said. "I was already looking, but now this is my excuse."

Jenny Guerreiro, who lives in the apartment next to where the shooting began, said she heard loud, continuous shots, followed by people yelling and running up and down the stairs.

She said she later saw police officers trying to resuscitate a shooting victim.

Raul Huerta, who lives in the building where the shots were fired, said it occurred on the third floor. He said his wife, Edy was awakened by the last two shots and looked out a window to see a man try to cross between two buildings before falling down.

Residents said they were shaken by the shooting and expressed frustration with conditions at the complex.

"It's been getting worse around here," resident Nancy Bandares said. "There has been a lot of people up at night keeping us up.

Authorities said the shooting appears to be an isolated event and detectives from the Elgin Police Department's Major Investigations Division and Special Investigations Division are investigating.

Anyone with information that may assist is asked to call (847) 289-2600. To text a tip, send a message to 847411 and include "ELGINPD" in the beginning of the text, along with the message and/or tip information. You can also visit www.cityofelgin.org/crimetip for more crime tip options.