Halloween festivities are going ahead as scheduled in Rogers Park on Wednesday, even as the person responsible for a pair of chilling killings remains on the loose.
Chicago police were on hand Wednesday at Willy White Park, as kids were treated to music, games, free pizza, and face-painting at an annual “Trunk or Treat” event.
While some adults were concerned that Halloween would be an opportunity for the masked killer to blend into a crowd, others say that in the weeks after the killings, things are finally starting to get back to normal in the community.
“Last year we went out in the neighborhood and we’ll be doing the same thing this year, so it’s not changing our day-to-day at all,” Rogers Park resident Joel Wintermantle said.
Some in the community are still apprehensive after two men, aged 73 and 24, were shot and killed by a masked gunman within a 36-hour period. The execution-style killings chilled the community, and surveillance images of the man were spread around in an effort to find the killer.
Chicago police will step up patrols in the area during trick-or-treating hours, and officials asked community members to travel in groups and to stay aware of their surroundings.
