Man ID'd after killed in Little Village shooting, crash with 3 kids in car, Chicago police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 30-year-old man died after being shot before and crashing his car into a T-Mobile in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood early Wednesday morning. Three children, who were in the car at the time, were not injured, Chicago police said.

Friends say it's a miracle three young children weren't hurt after gunmen open fire on the SUV they were riding in.

The gunshots erupted without warning this morning in city's Little Village neighborhood, leaving the man - who the Cook County Medical Examiner identifies as 30-year old Christian Ruiz - dead.

Ruiz was sitting at a red light in the 2300-block of West Cermak Road just after 5:35 a.m. when a dark-colored vehicle with three unknown suspects pulled alongside him and began shooting, police said.

Police said despite being shot in the chest, Ruiz tried to escape his attackers, only to crash his SUV into a nearby T-Mobile store.

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He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died.

"Christian was a good guy. He was about his family," said a woman who went to high school with him and asked not to be on camera.

She says she found out about the shooting from another friend.

Three children, ages 8, 6 and 3, were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting and crash but were not injured, according to CPD.

The community, family and friends are now left, struggling with their loss.

"I'm pretty upset about the situation. My heart goes out to the family," the friend said.

Police said the shooters fled down W. Cermack Road and S. Rockwell Street.

No one is in custody, and Area Three detectives are investigating.