Documented gang member behind fatal Millennium Park shooting

CHICAGO (FOX 32 NEWS) - Chicago Police said a documented gang member has been charged with the murder of a man in Millennium Park Saturday night.

Paul Pagan, 32, is facing one count of murder for the shooting death of 54-year-old Peter Fabbri.

Police said Fabbri, his sister and another woman were leaving a wine tasting when they got into an argument over religion with group of people passing out pamphlets.

“And this verbal altercation was getting pretty heated between the two groups our offender comes up on his bicycle and he's very close to the male victim in this case and then at this point the offender and the male victim begin to argue,” said Commander Brendan Deenihan.

Police said 54-year-old Peter Fabbri was shot twice, in the chest and head. When Pagan then jumped on his bike to flee the scene, his sister tried to grab him. Police said it's nothing something they would suggest people do, but it helped delay his escape while police rushed to the scene.

“I'm glad that nobody else was injured but due to the fact that they were probably able to do so, other witnesses were also able to get a really good description of this offender before he was able to get back on his bike and make good on his escape,” Deenihan said.

Police said Pagan has 39 arrests on his record including two for threatening people with guns in the last year and with stronger guns laws should have been behind bars.

With Chicago's murder count now above 500 for the year, a 46 percent increase from 2015, a new study by the Brennan Center is putting Chicago’s shootings and murders back in the national spotlight. The Center projects the national murder rate to increase by 13 percent in 2016, with half of that attributable to Chicago alone.

Monday, Chicago's top federal prosecutor, speaking at the City Club said the feds are ramping up their efforts to help tamp down the violence.

“The oars of those federal agencies including the FBI are in the water right now. We are committed, fully committed, along with CPD and our State partners to doing everything we can to address this increase in gun violence as quickly and effectively as we can,” said U.S. Attorney Zach Fardon.