3 charged with murder in shooting in McDonald’s parking in Back of the Yards

Three alleged members of the La Raza street gang have been charged in a gang-related killing earlier this week in the Back of the Yards neighborhood that was partially witnessed by Chicago police officers.

Jose Gomez, 34, and brothers Steven Calderon, 25, and Edwin Calderon, 30, each face a count of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Ricardo Gomez on Tuesday night, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. Gomez lives in the Back of the Yards neighborhood and both brothers both live in south suburban Midlothian, according to police records.

Just before 7 p.m., Ricardo Gomez, a member of the Latin Saints, was sitting inside his 2007 Cadillac SRX in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant at 4158 S. Ashland Ave. when the three men pulled into the lot in a gold Toyota that had been reported stolen in Indiana, according to prosecutors and court records.

Armed with a rifle and a handgun, Steven Calderon and Jose Gomez got out of the Toyota and approached the Cadillac while Edwin Calderon drove the Toyota behind the Cadillac, prosecutors said.

Ricardo Gomez tried to back out of the parking spot, but collided with the Toyota, prosecutors said. Edwin Calderon, his face covered by a black half-mask, then got out of the Toyota and approached the Cadillac.

All three men opened fire on the Cadillac, riddling Ricardo Gomez and the SUV he was sitting in with bullets, before getting back into the Toyota and driving off, prosecutors said.

Three police officers in the area heard the shots and arrived on scene at the end of the shooting, prosecutors said. All three recognized Edwin Calderon from prior interactions with him and by his facial tattoos, which were described in a police report as teardrop tattoos under each of his eyes.

The officers pursued the Toyota to an alley near Sacramento and Archer avenues, where the three defendants got out and ran off on foot, prosecutors said. Each was then taken into custody.

Ricardo Gomez was taken to Stroger Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Investigators recovered two .45-caliber handguns and an AR-15 rifle that were used in the shooting, according to prosecutors. The AR-15 rifle had been loaded with 27, .223-caliber rounds, but jammed when it was fired because the gun had been modified for .300 AAC Blackout ammunition.

Both Calderon brothers were facing criminal charges in pending cases at the time of the shooting, prosecutors said. Judge Michael Clancy revoked their bonds for violating the conditions of their bail.

Jose Gomez was convicted of second-degree murder in 2007 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to prosecutors are court records. Information about his release was not immediately available from the Illinois Department of Corrections, but police records indicated he was not on parole at the time of the shooting.

Defense attorneys for the men said each had several young children they supported and asked for a reasonable bond to be set in their cases.

Clancy denied bail for all three, stating he believed they would be a threat to the community if released.