Carlos Rivera, a 50-year-old high school baseball umpire in Chicago, was fatally shot after asking neighbours to keep quiet because he had work the next morning. The incident occurred on Sunday night at an apartment building on North Whipple Street.
Police reported that Rivera had complained about a loud disturbance. When he stepped out of his apartment, he was shot in the face and body. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died. No arrests have been made.
Rivera umpired for the Illinois High School Association and local teams. His brother, Angel Rosario, wrote on a funeral page: 'I know God has a plan, but it’s just so hard to believe this was part of it. I pray that God has a special game for him to ump in heaven.'
Colleague Max Rundberg described Rivera as a hardworking man who would work an early morning job then umpire around 300 games per season. Another colleague said: 'A wonderful man that gave so much to the game.'
Rivera's death comes amid a 39 per cent surge in violent crime in Chicago. Five days earlier, a seven-year-old boy was killed by a stray bullet in Humboldt Park while washing his hands at home.
