Police are searching for an SUV that was used in the fatal shooting of a restaurant owner Thursday morning in the Belmont Gardens neighborhood on the Northwest Side.
About 6:45 a.m., 46-year-old Peter Rim was riding in a westbound vehicle in the 4100 block of West Diversey Avenue when a Nissan Rogue pulled up and someone inside fired multiple shots, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
“The guy in the car was trying to talk to us,” said Kurt Anderson, another passenger in the vehicle. “Peter opened the window and then [the person in the SUV] opened fire.”
Rim was shot in the head and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died over four hours later, authorities said. He lived in South Barrington.
The Rogue, which had tinted windows and was missing a front Illinois license plate, continued west on Diversey before taking off southbound on Kostner Avenue, police said.
Rim owned three establishments in the northwest suburbs, including two locations of an Asian fusion restaurant, Bistro Wasabi, and a Mexican restaurant and bar, El Cochino, Anderson said.
A social media post from Bistro Wasabi described Rim as “wild, fun, energetic, and loving.”
“[Rim] affected so many lives here and every one here misses you so much,” the post continued. “You are so loved. Rest easy Peter.”
Anderson said the shooting was unprovoked and that he hoped Rim’s killer would be brought to justice.
“He didn’t deserve what happened,” Anderson said. “We never saw the guy before.”
Anyone with information about the SUV or the shooting should call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8261.
