Grandfather fatally shot in gang crossfire in Park Manor

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 70-year-old grandfather was shot and killed Tuesday night on Chicago's South Side. Leroy Moore's relatives said he was walking with a friend after dinner, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Moore was leaving a store on South State Street near East 71st Street around 8:20 p.m. when police said he was caught in the crossfire of a possible gang shooting.

Two cars had barreled down State, with people in both cars shooting at each other, police said. Moore was shot once in the chest. He was rushed to Stroger Hospital, where he died about 30 minutes after he was wounded. Moore's friend was not hurt.

"He was just walking down the street, minding his own business. And you got senseless gangbangers, wanna do shootings and don't care who's in the way," said Shurone Mooore, victim's son.

Moore lived in Chicago's Jeffery Manor neighborhood on the Far South Side. His family said he had a larger-than-life personality and strong ties to Chicago. He had been married nearly 47 years, had two sons, and was enjoying a life of retirement.

"He basically, when he was walking around, you know who he is. He had a loud, booming voice, that everybody should understand who he is," said Leroy's son, Shaun Moore said.

"They don't care about family, you know. They're just shooting. Put the guns down," said Gwen Moore, Leroy's widow.

Leroy used to work at the GE factory in west suburban Cicero. In retirement, he enjoyed barbecuing, visiting with family and supporting his nephew, Howard Moore, the former men's basketball coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"To see our family struggle this way over something that doesn't even make sense, it's definitely a numbing feeling right now throughout our family. We're all just reeling trying to make sense of this, but obviously that's an impossible task because this doesn't make sense," Howard said.

He also shared this message Wednesday on his Facebook page:

"My heart is crushed after hearing the news last night that my uncle Leroy Moore was shot and killed. For those that knew my uncle, he had a larger than life persona my biggest supporter."

Shaun Moore said his father will miss getting to see his granddaughter grow up.

"All this senseless gun violence. We see little kids getting shot, see parents' murders. Brothers. Sisters. What can you do about that?" Shaun Moore asked.

Roughly 2,000 people have been shot in Chicago this year to date and more than 380 of those people were killed.

No one is in custody in Moore's death. Anyone who has information about the shooting or the gunmen should contact Chicago police.