Marquette Park man, 71, shot while watering lawn

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police said a 71-year-old man was shot while watering his lawn in the city's Marquette Park neighborhood.

Police said Federico LaGuardia was outside his home in the 7100-block of South California Avenue just after noon Tuesday when two suspects on bikes approached him and demanded his wallet. LaGuardia refused and was shot in the abdomen, police said.

"I heard the gunshot and I ran out here and he was, like, dazed in the street," said neighbor and witness Lois Walker.

The crime was captured on surveillance video from a neighbor. After shooting LaGuardia, one of the men searches his pockets and takes his wallet.

"It's just absolutely ridiculous, you're not even safe in your own yard," said neighbor Teryeyah Griggs.

One father said he makes sure his children go straight from school to home with supervision for their safety.

"I make sure they go to school every day. Sometime we play at the park and then we go home. You can't really hang out here," said Niko Harmon.

LaGuardia was taken to Holy Cross Hospital and then transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital where he underwent surgery. Police said he is in fair condition.

LaGuardia was the latest victim of Chicago's deadliest summer in two decades. Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson spoke Tuesday about the need for tougher laws and punishments to help curb crime in the city.

"The men and women in CPD are clearly doing what we want them to do. We're at 6,000 gun recoveries for the year. Clearly the police department is doing their job. I need our legislators and our judicial partners to help. It's as simple as that," Johnson said earlier Tuesday.

There have been nearly 500 murders in Chicago so far in 2016.