Jan. 04--A 14-year-old Des Plaines boy who became Rosemont's first homicide victim in a decade was shot to death just steps from the Allstate Arena, police said, and was remembered by a relative for his love of animals and enjoyment of football.
Patrick Boswell was "a very good kid," his aunt Lauretta Boswell said Sunday.
Less than a mile from home, Patrick Boswell was found lying on the ground in an "easement" or gangway between two residential six-flats in the 10400 block of Carol Court in Rosemont around 9 p.m. Friday.
An autopsy later determined Patrick, of the 1600 block of Morse Avenue, died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide -- the west suburb's first since police in 2005 found the dismembered body of a Chinese citizen in the trunk of a car. The boy was an eighth-grader at Iroquois Community School.
Holiday lights lined the lower roof of the two-story house where Patrick lived with his parents and younger sister. Inflatable Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse Christmas decorations lined the driveway where a basketball hoop stood.
"He's not a gangbanger," Lauretta Boswell said.
When Patrick Boswell missed curfew on Friday night, his father went looking for him and saw the emergency vehicle lights, a relative told WGN-Ch. 9. He asked police at the scene what had happened and when he showed officers a photo of his son they confirmed it was Patrick who had been shot to death, according to WGN.
Rosemont police Cmdr. Gregory Nazuka said Saturday evening that while he could not say if this was a "random act," he assured the public that it is safe.
Nazuka said police have not been called to that area for similar disturbances and said his department has never had contact with the boy. A neighbor told WGN that he had seen Patrick in the area before, usually with a skateboard.
On Sunday, police continued to investigate the incident.
Rosemont resident Juancarlos Chavez, who lives in a flat just north of where the boy was shot, said he could not remember any other shootings in or near the apartment complex over the 10-year period he's lived there. Chavez said he never thought it was an unsafe place to live.
"Now, I don't think so," said Chavez, who has three daughters under the age of 15. He said Sunday that police had come by twice to ask questions about the incident, but both he and his wife were asleep at the time.
Joel Garay, 47, who lives in a flat at the complex, said he, too, was concerned about his sons' safety. He said that for the year and a half that they have lived there he has felt safe.
"This is a good place," he said.
Des Plaines School District 62 spokeswoman Mindy Ward released a statement Saturday informing parents and community members that an Iroquois eighth-grade student "was shot and killed in Rosemont" Friday night. Ward said Sunday that the student was Patrick.
"We have never had anything like this happen before," Ward said.
She said she didn't know the circumstances of the incident but that social workers would be available on Monday when students and staff return from winter break.
"During this terrible loss, please keep the Iroquois families and staff and the Des Plaines community in your thoughts and prayers," the statement read. "We are a strong and determined community. Supporting each other is very important now and in the future."
Tribune reporters Rosemary Regina Sobol and Gregory Pratt contributed.
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