The woman killed by a stray bullet on Chicago’s North Side Friday evening was a longtime teacher whose death has stunned and devastated her community.
Cynthia Trevillion, 64, was in the 6900 block of North Glenwood in the city’s Rogers Park neighborhood at around 6:30 p.m. when a vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire, according to police.
Trevillion was shot in the head and neck, authorities said, and taken to Presence St. Francis Hospital where she was pronounced dead just before 7:20 p.m.
Chicago police said Trevillion was not the intended target of the drive-by shooting.
In an email to constituents, 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore said the shots came from a dark SUV and were aimed at two juveniles standing on the street, talking to someone inside another car stopped at the intersection of Glenwood and Morse.
"Any victim of gun violence is a tragedy, but it is especially tragic and intolerable for an innocent victim to be gunned down on a busy street in the early evening," Moore said.
Both vehicles and the juveniles fled the scene, according to Moore, and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office ruled Trevillion’s death a homicide.
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Her husband John Trevillion said they were on their way to dinner with friends, walking to the Morse CTA station just steps from their home when shots rang out.
John Trevillion said he heard what sounded like firecrackers and quickly dropped to the ground before seeing that his wife had been hit.
Married 29 years, he described Cynthia Trevillion as "an extremely generous soul."
Both teachers, the couple moved from her home state of Michigan to Chicago roughly 15 years ago and have worked at the Chicago Waldorf School ever since.
Cynthia Trevillion taught middle school math, according to the school’s website, and recently became an education support specialist, helping children who needed extra guidance in the classroom.
"She has touched the lives of many, many students," John Trevillion said Saturday. "She has touched the lives of their families, their parents. She radiates warmth and empathy to all who know her."
"She has many, many friendships," he added, fighting back tears. "People loved her."
Staff at the Chicago Waldorf School planned to meet with grief counselors Monday to develop age-appropriate ways to help students cope with the loss, the school’s Administrative Director Luke Goodwin said in a statement posted on Facebook.
"We believe that being together as community will best help us to process this event, support our families and friends, and prepare to move forward together," Goodwin said. "Please keep Cynthia, John and their families in your thoughts and prayers as we come together as a community to grieve and support one another."
The school opened Saturday as well, welcoming "any friends from the community who would like to find solace in coming together to honor Cynthia."
Rogers Park residents also organized a peace vigil Saturday evening at Tobey Prinz Beach Park, followed by a benefit to raise money for Cynthia Trevillion’s funeral costs.
A crowdfunding page in her honor drew hundreds of donations and messages of support, exceeding its $20,000 fundraising goal in less than 24 hours.
Calling Cynthia Trevillion "a wonderful and caring friend, teacher and leader," the YouCaring page description said she "dedicated her life to providing our children with the best education possible."
No one is in custody in connection with the shooting, according to police, as authorities continue to investigate.
