Business leaders, police discuss safety issues in Lakeview with murder of restaurant worker in mind

CHICAGO (CBS) — A person was murdered in an alley in the hectic commercial district barely a block from Wrigley Industry over the weekend, and it remains on the minds of folks in the area.

As CBS 2’s Steven Graves documented, company proprietors joined a assembly with police at the Town Corridor (19th) District station Tuesday afternoon.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) was current at the assembly, which experienced been prepared for some time to discuss basic safety heading into the summer months year. Sunday’s murder has only heightened the problem.

Hermilo Beltran, 47, was a husband and a father to two girls – ages 16 and 9. He was shot three moments at 10:15 p.m. Sunday as he noted to function at the Pleased Camper Wrigleyville cafe, 3458 N. Clark St.

The assault transpired in the alley powering the organization.

Beltran’s loved ones explained officers told them it was quite possibly a robbery gone bad. Beltran’s wallet was stolen, and his cellphone was remaining at the rear of.

“He was functioning to set his minimal women into a better life,” claimed Sam Sanchez, owner of Moe’s Cantina, at 3518 N. Clark St. close to Beltran’s workplace. “If you work late nights, you happen to be often worried about how you happen to be likely to go residence.”

Organization leaders in the area said worker security has normally been a issue, and some have put in hundreds of dollars on private safety.

Now, they are hoping town and point out lawmakers commit time on over-all criminal offense – not just in the Lakeview space, but throughout the town.

“How do we get stolen cars from not remaining stolen any longer? How do we get guns off the streets from 15-yr-olds?” stated Maureen Martino, government director of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, “and this all has to do with doing work with legislators. And all people in the community requires to get associated – for the reason that our organization entrepreneurs are doing almost everything they can. This conference now was about how they function.”

Martino wishes a lot more patrols past Cubs game days. But a thinning law enforcement pressure will make that hard.

“There is a large amount of retirement coming,” she said.

Martino said hundreds of bucks are now currently being poured into personal stability. Owners also want to see extra innovative digital camera know-how all-around the town.

Sanchez is pushing for improvements to a safety invoice at the state amount – focused on harsher punishments for repeat offenders.

“If we never do that, then we hand the streets around to the criminals this summer months,” he said.

In the meantime, funeral preparations for Beltran – who worked two careers to aid his household – are at the moment less than way. Satisfied Camper and its owners have previously donated $20,000 to his cherished kinds.

A GoFundMe has been set up to assist Beltran’s spouse and daughters.