An online fundraiser is gaining traction for the funeral costs of Servando L. Hamros, 29, the father of two girls who was shot and killed Thursday, July 14, while he and his 6-year-old were playing near the canal in the Rotary Club of Evanston’s International Friendship Garden.
The Evanston Police are asking anyone who might have information to contact its detective bureau at 847-866-5040 or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637), starting your message with EPDTIP.
Hamros’ father, Servando Camargo, set up a GoFundMe page two days ago, according to the site, on Saturday, July 16, to help pay his son’s funeral costs, describing the events of the shooting, this way:
My son was “brutally shot and killed … while on a walk playing Poke’mon Go with his 6-year-old daughter. He was approached by a gunman while walking home and was shot multiple times as his 6-year-old daughter watched.
“The gunman even began to open fire on his daughter as she began to run for her life. She found a place to hide and was uninjured fortunately but saw as the gunman then stood over her Father and executed him.
“I am the Father of the man that was killed in front of his child. The funds from the page will be used to pay for the funeral arrangements/costs. Any donation will be greatly appreciated. Please and thank you. God Bless.”
About 235 people have donated to the fundraiser, raising nearly $18,000.
Hamros and his daughter were playing in the park at about 9 p.m., the girl’s grandmother was exercising at the other end of the park, according to an family interview on Telemundo news.
Police said Hamros “had a confrontation with at least one subject.” A short time after, someone fired a gun multiple times, striking and killing the father, according to an EPD news release.
An Evanston officer was also in the area and came after hearing the shooting. He contacted the Evanston Police Communication Center, which had also received other 911 calls.
Telemundo reported that Hamros had recently taken a job as a manager of a restaurant chain.
Surprising that Evanston Police have not provided a description of the assailants.
The only way to stop the killing is to stop the guns. Although I do agree that it’s a pity a video cam didn’t record the killer. Perhaps someone in a passing car or a pedestrian who heard the altercation will have more information fo the police. I feel for that little girl, traumatized now for the rest of her life.
More Camera’s. More Police, particularly on bikes and foot patrol. Give the Police what they need to do their jobs. Hold them to account. Provide pay raises so they are not swiped by other cities. Will it stop all crime, nope. But we should be doing much better than this. Our city demands it.
This is truly a tragedy. A young father playing with his 6 year-old daughter in an Evanston Park should be safe and not be gunned down. What can Evanston do to protect, fellow Evanstonians out for a walk or with their young kids in park, and prevent this from happening further?
Answer: Spend government money (Federal, Illinois and Evanston) and invest in putting up video cameras in public areas especially in parks, walkways and paths. Without witnesses criminals will continue undeterred. This is the only way to catch and prevent these crimes, especially armed violence. We don’t need another Uvalde incident. Put up cameras!