Antonio “Coco” Padilla was killed near his fruit cart in Little Village, while three women were wounded. Family and neighbors mourn a devoted father.
A Little Village street vendor killed Wednesday afternoon was remembered by family as a devoted father and a familiar presence in the neighborhood.
Antonio “Coco” Padilla, 46, was working just a few feet away from his wife and baby when he was shot near 26th Street and St. Louis Avenue, Chicago police said. He was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. Police did not release a motive.
The shooting shattered a routine for people nearby. including Estella Aguilera. who works at a bridal shop along the same stretch.. She said she and her mother were helping a customer at the counter when they heard “a lot of popping noises.” Aguilera described recognizing quickly that it wasn’t fireworks. and recalling the urgent moment when her mother told her to lock the door.
Within minutes, Aguilera went outside and saw people on the ground. She said Padilla’s wife cried out his name, and she realized during the shooting their 1-year-old son had been in the family’s truck—parked next to Padilla’s fruit cart. Investigators later confirmed Padilla was shot several times.
Padilla’s wife and their child were both in the truck during the attack. but the three women who were hit were taken to Mount Sinai and survived. according to officials.. Aguilera said two of the injured women were street vendors and the third was a customer.. Their ages, as she described, were 25, 42 and 47.
Family members have focused their grief on who Padilla was before the violence—someone woven into the daily life of Little Village.. In a GoFundMe set up to help cover funeral expenses. his family wrote that he was a “devoted father. ” a brother. and a “cherished friend” to many.. The tribute emphasized his role at home: a family man who kept his children close.
For neighbors who see vendors along the sidewalk and recognize the rhythm of street commerce. the loss landed with extra force.. Aguilera said she regularly ran into Padilla and his family and described him as friendly and engaged in conversation. including moments spent discussing family milestones.. “He always had his kids by him and his wife by him,” she said.
The case is now in investigators’ hands as police seek help from the public.. On Thursday, Chicago police released surveillance footage showing three people they say are wanted in connection with the shooting.. The video includes a white sedan seen at a gas station shortly before the attack. with all three individuals wearing face coverings and dark hoodies and dark pants.
Police described the suspects as between roughly 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall and weighing about 160 to 180 pounds. based on what investigators could observe.. Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.. Anyone with tips can contact Area 4 detectives at (312) 746-8252, or submit anonymous information through cpdtip.com.
The neighborhood impact extends beyond one family.. Shootings in commercial corridors can quickly turn everyday spaces—where families buy fruit. vendors set up tables. and shops hold customers—into scenes of fear and uncertainty.. When victims include people who work close to where they live and care for children. the disruption isn’t only physical; it reshapes how residents look at safety in ordinary moments.
As authorities continue to review the footage and seek leads. the community’s immediate need is clarity and accountability—paired with support for those left behind.. For Padilla’s loved ones, the priority is mourning and laying him to rest.. For Little Village residents. the hope is that tips and evidence will help bring the suspects into custody. so the life that neighbors knew as dependable and family-oriented isn’t remembered only through a single. senseless day.