A mixture of sadness and anger engulfed a crowd which gathered in Franklin Park Friday for a vigil mourning the death of Javier Ramos, a ride share driver who was the victim of a carjacking earlier in the week.
Ramos, 46, of Franklin Park, was shot by his Uber passenger, said his sister Liliana Ramos. A Chicago police department detective told her a 911 call came in early Tuesday reporting that someone was run over by a car, she said. When an ambulance arrived, paramedics observed Javier Ramos had been shot in the head, and he later died at Mt. Sinai Hospital, she added.
The Chicago Police Department said the incident happened in the 3700 block of West Douglass at about 3:40 a.m. on March 23. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Ramos’ death a homicide.
Ramos leaves behind a 9-year-old daughter, his father, two sisters and a brother.
About 150 people, including Ramos’ family members, listened to tributes and emotional recollections about Ramos both in English and Spanish during the vigil, which was held at North Park. Many held candles during the event, which started at 7 p.m.
The slain man’s cousin, Hortencia Ramos, who last week was named Ms. Illinois International 2021, told the group of the last time she saw him on Valentine’s Day as she competed for her title.
“When I arrived at the restaurant, Javi’s smile was one of the first I saw,” Ramos recalled on how he battled through a blizzard to get to the restaurant where a viewing party was being held. “That didn’t stop him from coming to show me support. That was the kind of person he was.”
Ramos’s tone then shifted to anger as she spoke of her cousin’s death.
“We are angry that this happened to you,” she said. “You didn’t deserve this. No one deserves to live in fear to do a decent honorable job to provide for their family and not come home because of gun violence in our streets.’
Hortencia Ramos recalled how eight years ago, her cousin Javier suffered a brain aneurysm and almost died. However, he fought back, she said, and survived.
“He lived life to the fullest, so that is why he told everybody never to give up,” Ramos said in the immediate moments after the vigil.
Liliana Ramos said her brother had a been an Uber driver for many years and it was his main source of income.
Amid concern for the safety of all ride share drivers, Lenny Sanchez, an organizer with the Independent Drivers Guild, said he would like to see a passenger verification process that incorporates credit card information and a “selfie” photo taken by the passenger.
Law enforcement could use the selfie images in investigations, he said, adding he believes the process would deter criminals.
“This has to stop,” Sanchez told the crowd. “We are more than just hurt, we are furious because we believe that what happened to him could have been prevented.”
Franklin Park Mayor Barrett Pedersen called for additional funding on mental health issues, which he said he viewed as one reason, though not the only reason, for Chicago’s recent dramatic spike in carjackings.
“(We) need a national approach for investing in mental health,” Pedersen added. “We are woefully underfunding mental health and providing resources to those people who are in such desperate situations that they are tempted to do such unspeakable things. We are stigmatizing people with mental health issues and we shouldn’t be.”
State Senator Karina Villa, a Democrat from the 25th District, State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, a Democrat from the 49th District, and Joseph Modrich, executive director of the Park District of Franklin Park, also addressed the crowd.
A Lyft spokesperson emailed a statement from the company saying, “We are heartbroken by this tragic event and our hearts are with Mr. Ramos’ family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. Safety is fundamental to Lyft and we are working closely with law enforcement to help keep drivers safe.”
The spokesperson said that while the incident did not occur on Lyft’s platform, the company looks forward to working with the Independent Drivers’ Guild to on its proposals for increasing driver safety. According to information the spokesperson provided, Lyft is exploring ways to expand safety features and alerts, many of which address the guild’s concerns.
An Uber spokesperson provided a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with Javier’s family and loved ones. Issues that affect the safety of drivers are very concerning to us and we continue to explore new safety technology solutions in the app. We are proactively working with Chicago Police to aid their investigation of these horrible crimes, and bring those who perpetrate them to justice.”
He also said the company has a team of law enforcement professionals on call 24-7 to work with police. Additionally, he said, it has rolled out 911 integration technology that allows a driver to press an emergency button, which transmits the driver’s location, license plate number and make and model of the car to a 911 dispatcher.
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