Mutahir Rauf, 23, and his brother were walking through 1300 block of West Albion Avenue in the Rogers Park neighbourhood of Chicago, just a block from the university campus, when they were intercepted by two men on foot.
Police said one of the attackers pulled out a gun and told the brothers to empty their pockets.
Rauf then allegedly reached for the gun and in the ensuing scuffle, he was fatally shot in the chest and head. The assailants then fled the scene. Rauf’s brother was reportedly not injured in the incident.
Loyola University confirmed the incident in a statement.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic situation, and we ask that you keep this student’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
COMMENTS (30)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
This is my friends brother. I know of him. I am so sad. So sad and so angry. This problem is from the bottom! The bottom of people who feel they have to result to this kind of measure. It's sad and painful that we live in a country that doesn't pay attention to the people who really need inspiring, education, treatment. Normal sane balanced people who have an understanding of life don't just rob people and take life for granted.
That's my neighborhood. I was in that area last weekend with my family to watch "Interstellar".
Usually that area is quite lively with a lot of students, restaurants and movie goers. It is unfortunate that this student ended up like this.
Lesson: give that money away. Don't resist. He would have earned millions as a doctor had he survived. Life is worth more than the adventure of fighting a thug with a gun.
Even the police advise people to hand over whatever it is that a mugger armed with a gun wants. It was stupid to fight a man with a gun. Too many movies perhaps? I feel sorry for this wasteful loss of a young life.
@Proud Pakistani American: I am proud of you as a fellow American of what you said, especially if you are a Muslim. Just for a moment forget all the stuff about Google, IBM, Facebook and Internet and as you say the list is long of America's achievement that benefits in every corner of the globe.... how about the taxpayer dollars that is earned and given in taxes by Americans that support billions in foreign aide all over the world... including Pakistan. Does any country on earth give any money more than Americans (not talking government) but American taxpayers more than USA? These Americans give money for aide knowing full well that they have more and they share their wealth and blessings with the least of the least fortunate in the world. If it was not Americans, then no government in Washington DC can dole out even a dollar without the consent of the American citizens to any country.
I would first like to sympathize with the family of the deceased. RIP. This senseless act of death is nothing but a familiar crime in most large cities in US and Chicago witnesses too many of these murders on a daily basis. Secondly, I would say to @Islamabadi who called everybody a bunch of idiots and spewing lies about this boy not being Pakistani but American when the title to the article clearly states otherwise; hopefully there would not be a single sane person reading your hatred who would not think you are the biggest idiot of anyone of us here. Thirdly, I commend people like @Proud Pakistani American, @Reeba, @Rizwan, @Dr. Pryanka and ask the question why did the deceased have a gun on himself and why did he resist? This is an important fact. Loyola sounds like a Jesuit Roman Catholic University for whom life is precious and sacred. Those spewing hatred about the University need to grow up and learn about other pious people who serve humanity through the best education Jesuits provide. Know your facts. Lastly, @Raheel, may God give you and the family of your cousin the peace, forgiveness, solace and understanding that only God can provide in such situations and men can only console.
@Saad Nazin: Please go and read some news about how the university and the community reacted there and then say something. There was not just a 'two liner', people held a candle vigil for him and got a profile article in the Chicago Tribune(largest Chicago newspaper). The university community has planned a series of events “to honor the life" of Rauf and to "start the healing process.” Those events include a moment of silence at the university’s Lessons and Carols event Saturday evening inside Madonna della Strada Chapel and a prayer session for Rauf and his family during Sunday’s 10:30 a.m. Mass at the same chapel. A Walk of Remembrance after the Mass is also planned. Loyola is also inviting people to gather at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Mundelein Center Auditorium to pray for nonviolence. This was an incident of mugging in a huge city like Chicago. Imagine something like this happened in Karachi, it wouldn't even make it in the papers. Just because it happened in America everyone has to come up and criticize the US in some way. Just be honest to yourself and others, all this is much more than what people would have done if this happened to someone from IBA in Karachi or an International student in Pakistan. One student who lived in the building closest to where the shooting happened stopped to pay her respects. "It's so incredibly sad," she said, teary-eyed. "We all walk down this path every moment of every day. At Loyola we emphasize how we're all a family, and it's sad to lose a student like this." This is a person who didn't even know him. This shows enough. America is a humane society with incredibly loving and caring people. People deeply care about each other even though they if they do not know each other. And Just before you call Americans 'nincompoops', just remember this is the country that has given the world Google, Apple, IBM, Facebook, 300+ Nobel Prize winners, 8 of the top 10 universities in the world and perhaps most importantly the internet. the list can go on and on. Just think how insulting it is for you to say what you actually said there. I'm sorry this is long but i feel someone had to report this. i request Express tribune to also report what the community did after his tragic death.
Very sad. Please my dear kids, give whatever robbers demand. Life is much more important than few bucks.
انّا للہ و انّا الیہ راجعون
Imagine if a US student had shot dead in Pakistan. Wat would be the consequences? War? Pakistan would hv turned into Iraq or mian sb would be addressing, saying sorry
@Raheel: Form which City u and your Cousin belonged ?
@Islamabadi: Sorry to reveal to you today that you need to go school again.
Extremely sad. A grim reminder that even in the most developed societies, there are some areas of darkness where petty crime rules.
@Islamabadi:::After reading your comment about him being not a Pakistani his soul will RIP
He was pakistani and was my cousin... An unfortunate incident ... He will be burried in Shahdara lahore pakistan... RIP
Very sad that u r saying he was american... He was pure pakistani and was born in shahdara lahore and he was burried in pakistan... His parents leave pakistan last nite... He was my cousin..!@Islamabadi:
May God give peace to their family. Seems the killers are not Muslim thats why the shoters are unidentified and its not term as terrorist act.
University students in US are repeatedly told by authorities not to resist in such incidents and give up your wallets and valuables as your life is worth more than that. Police usually catch the criminals using street cameras. This is a sad incident and parents should advice their children not to play hero when a gun is aimed at them most often by a cocaine high thug.
@khurram: This kid is AMrikan not Pakistani....he was born in Brooklyn...why would he be repatriated ? This kid has Amerikan nationality so stop calling him Pakistani....
You are all a bunch of idiots...especially the one calling on the amrikan ambassador to repatriate the body and demand compensation because this Mutahir Rauf is Amrikan....He was born in Amrika...raised in Amrika...studied in Amrika....Amrikan nationality...does not hold Pakistani nationality...so why areyou calling him Pakistani? WHy should the Pakistani ambassador be involved? Why should his body be repatriated? Just like Obama is NOT KENYAN....this guy is NOT PAKISTANI....
RIP. Sad. He should not have tried to reach for the gun.His poor brother was witness to this crime and will carry the scars with him throughout his life.
RIP
Quite sad and also a lesson for the rest of us. Never resist in a situation like this, just to protect material things like cash and phones.
Extremely sad and tragic. May his soul rest in peace inshAllah, and may he earn the highest place in heaven. Prayers for his family and friends.
RIP!
He is so cute!
Pakistani Ambassador in USA, should raise this brutal killing with the US government, and seek financial compensation from the state government. All repatriation costs should be borne by the either government, and not burden the family, That is the very least that can be done.
RIP brave soul... The police will do their job and put the killers behind bars.
@Saad Nazin: Spot On.
May the gods take pity on this family and help them tide through this difficult time .
RIP
Extremely sad, such a horrific tragedy. I can't imagine what his parents and siblings must be going through. University is ought to do more than just throwing out a convenient press release. These parents of international students pay you thousands of dollars to make way for your own nincompoop minds to attain scholarships, don't just rubbish them with two liners please!!!
Violence exists all over the world. It's sad wherever it takes place.