A 24-year-old man, identified as Bibiano Ruano, was shot and killed in what Chicago police are calling a targeted attack while walking in the Pilsen neighborhood on Saturday night, March 1, 2025.
The incident occurred around 8:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of West 18th Street, a vibrant stretch known for its murals and Mexican eateries, when two unidentified individuals approached Ruano on the sidewalk and opened fire.
He sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including to the head and knee, and was found unresponsive by responding officers, according to a Chicago Police Department (CPD) statement reported by the Chicago Sun-Times at 7:27 p.m. PST Saturday.
Emergency responders arrived swiftly at the scene, transporting Ruano to Stroger Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries later that evening, marking another tragic loss in a city where gun violence remains a persistent challenge.
The shooters fled on foot before police arrived, and as of Sunday morning, March 2, no arrests have been made, nor have suspects been identified. Area 3 detectives are leading the investigation, canvassing the area for witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses, a common practice in Pilsen’s densely packed urban setting.
The CPD has classified the shooting as targeted, though the motive remains unclear. Pilsen, a historically Latino neighborhood on Chicago’s Lower West Side, has seen sporadic violence despite its cultural richness, with incidents often tied to personal disputes or gang activity—a possibility not yet ruled out here, though unconfirmed.
As the investigation unfolds, police are urging anyone with information to come forward, offering contact options for Area 3 detectives at 312-744-8261 or anonymous tips via CPDtip.com.