Investigators spent several hours Tuesday combing through the scene as they tried to find anything that will lead them to the people who last night shot retired Chicago Police Sergeant Elmer Brown during the course of a home invasion.
"He's a very ill man. He's blind. He's been in a lot of medical conditions he's had," said Eva Luna, caregiver.
Police say the intruders entered the home at 115th Street and Avenue G through an unlocked door just before midnight, then asked the 73-year-old for the location of the safe. They shot him in the neck when it wouldn't open, but his wife was not harmed.
"I just think it's weird. This is a very quiet neighborhood. Nothing ever happens here. There are four policemen on that block. There are six of them on this side," said Rich Pina, neighbor.
"It's sick that someone would do something like that to someone elderly," said Tim Wedrik, family friend.
In fact, police sources tell ABC7 they are looking into the possibility that this was not a random crime, something also alluded to by 10th Ward Alderman John Pope.
"It seems odd that these folks, including a retired police, had their home broken into at midnight. Usually break-ins occur during the day when people aren't at home," said Ald. Pope.
And while not an area with many break-ins, the neighborhood has recently seen an uptick in con artists trying to gain access to people's homes, especially those of the elderly.
"Especially with this cold weather. We've had a few people approach their homes saying, I'm a city inspector, I'm with heating and cooling...I need to get into your house to check your furnace, there is a water leak, so we remind people not to take anyone's word for that," said Ald. Pope.
Brown was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he has been upgraded from critical to serious condition. A bullet remains lodged in his neck, and he is still sedated for now.
The investigation is ongoing and police do not yet have anyone in custody.
