A white SUV pulled alongside a car stopped in traffic on Chicago’s Northwest Side Tuesday night. Seconds later, someone inside opened fire, striking the 21-year-old driver in the back. The victim, identified as Santiago I. Delgado of Avondale, did not survive the attack.
Chicago police said the shooting happened around 9:53 p.m. on November 3, 2026, in the 3400 block of West Diversey Avenue, near the Logan Square and Avondale neighborhood border. Delgado was behind the wheel with a 48-year-old male passenger when the SUV approached their vehicle.
The two vehicles were alongside each other as traffic slowed. Someone inside the white SUV then produced a firearm and fired multiple shots into Delgado’s car. The SUV sped away southbound on Central Park Avenue immediately after the attack.
Delgado suffered a gunshot wound to the back. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where medical staff attempted to treat his injuries. However, he was pronounced dead at 10:29 p.m.
The passenger, a 48-year-old man, was fortunate to escape without injuries. He was inside the same vehicle when the gunman opened fire, but he did not suffer any reported gunshot wounds.
The attack has left questions about why Delgado was targeted and what happened before the SUV pulled alongside his vehicle. Police have not released a motive or provided information identifying the person responsible. The circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear.
Delgado was just 21 years old. He was driving through the neighborhood with another man when the sudden burst of gunfire changed everything. His death means his family and friends must now come to terms with losing someone who had so much time ahead of him.
The person who fired the shots fled before police could take anyone into custody. Investigators face the task of identifying the occupants of the white SUV and determining what led to the fatal attack. For now, Delgado’s death remains a painful loss, while the questions surrounding his final moments await answers.