Grandfather, former preschool teacher among parade victims
(NewsNation) — A grandfather visiting from Mexico and a former synagogue preschool teacher are among the seven people confirmed killed in a mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago Monday.
The shooting occurred in Highland Park — an affluent community of about 30,000 on Chicago’s north shore — along a downtown parade route where many residents had staked out prime viewing points early in the day.
Here is what we know about the victims whose lives were taken:
Katherine Goldstein
Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland Park was among the victims whose deaths officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
Kevin and Irina McCarthy
Irina McCarthy, 35, and Kevin McCarthy, 37, a married couple from Highland Park, were among the victims whose deaths officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
The husband and wife leave behind a 2-year-old son, Aiden, according to a GoFundMe online.
“At two years old, Aiden is left in the unthinkable position; to grow up without his parents,” the GoFundMe reads.
Jacquelyn Sundheim
Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63, of Highland Park was among the victims whose deaths officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
Sundheim, a lifelong congregant and “beloved” staff member at nearby North Shore Congregation Israel, which announced her death on its website.
Sundheim had spent decades on the staff at North Shore Congregation Israel, early on teaching at the congregation’s preschool and later serving as Events and B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator, “all of this with tireless dedication,” the congregation said in its statement announcing her death.
“Jacki’s work, kindness and warmth touched us all,” the statement said.
Steven Straus
Steven Straus, 88, of Highland Park was among the victims whose deaths officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
Straus‘ son Jonathan described him to the Chicago Tribune as “a product of Chicago,” a longtime Highland Park resident who was born on the city’s South Side and worked as a stockbroker.
Nicholas Toledo-Zaragoza
Nicholas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, from Mexico was among the victims whose deaths officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
A GoFundMe page created in his honor describes him as “a father of eight and grandfather to many.”
Toledo was visiting from Mexico when he was shot. He died at the scene, his granddaughter, Xochil Toledo, told the Chicago Sun-Times.
She said that Toledo had spent most of his life in Morelos, Mexico, and she remembers looking over at her grandfather as a band passed them playing music.
“He was so happy,” she said. “Happy to be living in the moment.”
Xochil Toledo said her father tried to shield her grandfather and was shot in the arm. Her boyfriend also was shot in the back and taken by someone to a nearby hospital because they weren’t sure there would be enough ambulances for all the victims.
Eduardo Uvaldo
Eduardo Uvaldo, 69, of Waukegan was identified as the seventh victim by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office on Wednesday. He succumbed to his injuries at Evanston Hospital.
NewsNation will continue to update this story as we learn more about the victims who lost their lives.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.