Evanston's 1st Murder Of 2017: Shooter Remains At Large

EVANSTON, IL — Police are investigating a fatal shooting that took place early Monday about a block west of the Howard Red Line station. Police said they received a call of a person shot at the intersection of Howard Street and Chicago Avenue around 2:45 a.m. Witnesses said a 25-year-old man was fighting with another man when he pulled a gun and shot him in the head, according to police. The suspect ran northbound on Chicago Avenue, while the man who had been shot, identified by police as Hamza Hammouis, was taken to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect was described as a 25-year-old black man, about six feet tall with a medium build and wearing a white t-shirt and black pants. Police said there are several witnesses cooperating with investigators as they seek to identify and locate the gunman. The portion of Howard Street where the shooting occurred includes multiple businesses, with a bank located just across the street from the murder scene. Police on hand were hopeful that nearby security cameras may have captured some of the incident or an image of the suspect.

A forensic specialist unit from the Northern Regional Major Crimes Task Force was on scene checking for evidence. The intersection was reopened for through traffic Monday afternoon. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Evanston — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

The shooting is Evanston's first recorded murder of 2017.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Evanston Police Department at 847-866-5040 or utilize Text-A-Tip by texting CRIMES (274637) and entering EPDTIP in the message line, followed by the tip information.

UPDATE, Aug. 30: No Murder Charges As Victim Was Shot By Own Gun, Detectives Believe