Little Village robbery: 3 waiting in line for food pantry robbed at gunpoint; 2 men beaten

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Some residents in the Little Village neighborhood are on edge after three people waiting in line for a food pantry to open Tuesday morning were robbed of their cash at gunpoint.

The attack happened without warning at about 5 a.m., as residents gathered outside the Pan de Vida, or bread of life, food pantry, located at the corner of 27th Street and Lawndale Avenue. It took only minutes for three people to be robbed at gunpoint.

Investigators said the victims, a 60-year-old man, a 72-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman, were waiting outside for the pantry, which provides fresh grocery items for free to their clients, to open.

A witness who tried to help the victims said the crime happened after masked men, armed with guns, drove up.

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"Four guys jumped out of the car, white car, a Chevy Malibu, no plates on it, and started robbing people, taking money from their pockets," robbery witness Ramiro Paniagua said.

The victims are among the 150 families the pantry feeds per day while operating four days per week. Both men were beaten, and the 60-year-old was treated at the scene by paramedics.

"We give clients a choice of produce, vegetables, fruits, frozen meats, canned items as well as household items like disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer as well," said Pan de Vida Food Pantry Operations Manager Alex Ramon.

Investigators say it's unclear if the gunmen are responsible for any other robberies in the area. On Tuesday afternoon, officials with the not for profit that oversees the pantry said they are working on safety plan for their clients, and in the meantime, are asking their clients not to arrive at the pantry so early.

Rosario Dominguez, with New Life Centers, said the food pantry wants to make it safer for their clients.

"We are talking to police, as well, to figure out what happened, how to make the waiting in line safer, but we are also asking clients not to come as early as they are, or usually are," Dominguez said. "They're coming in as early as three hours before we open, even two hours before staff are even here, so it's not as safe, it's darker."

Officials hope Tuesday's violence will not stop people from feeling fage enough to come to the pantry for help. Chicago police are continuing to investigate.

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