Chicago police say the 83-year-old man was in a crosswalk heading east at Devon and California when an SUV hit him at approximately 6:20 p.m. Tuesday. The driver did not stop.
The victim has been identified as Norman Davis Esho. He was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital at 7 p.m.
The vehicle involved was maroon or red and may have been a GMC or a Chevrolet, possibly a Tahoe or Suburban.
Anyone with information should contact Chicago police.
Family friend Janit Pityou lit candles and incense at the spot where Esho was hit.
"Mr Norman was very gentle, very nice, you know, very respectable man," said Pityou.
Translating for witness and Esho friend Sameer Hkorees, Pityou described what happened.
"He saw the car speeding. He tried to go faster so he wouldn't hit him, but the guy hit him anyway, he called 911 right away," Hkorees said.
Known as a melting pot of nationalities, folks in the little slice of West Rogers Park know each other. An Assyrian, Esho emigrated from Iraq in 1994. He spent his days with friends at a local video store owned by his daughter-in-law's family.
"He's a beautiful man... He's good and he jokes, he talks to all people around here, this area they like him," said Muneer Nissan, extended family.
"Every day we sit here talking together, every day. We want to know the guy who do this, they catch him or not," said Wilson Moshi.
