Popular artist fatally shot outside Marquette Park home

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A popular Chicago artist was fatally shot as he walked a few feet from his home to his car early Wednesday, police said.

Michael Paul Anderson, 59, was killed in front of his house in the 6600-block of South Washtenaw in Chicago's Marquette Park neighborhood.

"It's really overwhelming right now to even fathom how someone could do this to my brother," said Pastor Anthony Anderson, victim's brother.

Anderson's family said they don't understand why he had to die.

"Michael was a very outgoing person, loveable and as everybody always know, he was a devout artist," Pastor Anderson said.

Several neighbors said they saw three men hanging around on the block as Anderson walked to his station wagon parked outside his house before shots rang out.

"I heard like three gunshots. They weren't very loud like from a big gun like a pop, pop, pop three times," said Eric Darko, a neighborhood resident.

Anderson was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

On Wednesday afternoon, detectives continued to gather evidence and canvas the neighborhood as they to figure out if the attack was a robbery attempt or if the victim was targeted.

Michael Paul Anderson is being remembered not only for his artistic talents but his willingness to share them. Friends say the Marine vet often mentored young men his community, even starting a program with longtime friend Alex Levesque to teach gang members auto restoration skills.

"For someone to come along and to take that perfect life, it's just not right," Levesque said.

Anderson's art was also a fixture in several Chicago Public Schools. Not only did he paint several murals, but also created this poster art that hangs inside Miles Davis Elementary School.

As his family grieves, they offered forgiveness and pleaded for Anderson's killer to turn themselves in.

"Even though we're victims right now the young men that did this, they need something too, so we're praying for them," Anderson said.

Area South Detectives continue to investigate. No one is in custody.