Elmhurst Man Shot In Chicago Identified

ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst man who was shot in the head earlier this month in downtown Chicago is the beneficiary of an online fundraiser.

In its first day, the GoFundMe effort for A.J. Graziano has raised $22,000.

During the afternoon of May 1, Graziano, 55, and a 27-year-old man were bystanders when the shooting happened.

Police told the Sun-Times the shooting was the result of a robbery during a drug deal at a nearby Taco Bell.

Graziano, a stagehand, was at lunch between presentations of "Moulin Rouge," which was playing at the Nederlander Theatre, according to the GoFundMe page. The fundraiser appears to be the first time Graziano's name was publicly released in connection with the shooting.

The page said Graziano is a husband, father and grandfather.

"Although we’re thankful that A.J. continues to recover, his injuries make it impossible for him to work at this time, and family bills continue," the page said. "Please consider helping A.J. get back on his feet."

Editor's Note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.