A popular Chicago artist had been shot fatally as he walked a few feet from his home to his car early on Wednesday.

Michael Paul Anderson, 59 years old ,  had been killed in front of his house in the 6600-block of South Washtenaw in Chicago's Marquette Park neighbourhood.

Victim's brother, Pastor Anthony Anderson said, "It's really overwhelming right now to even fathom how someone could do this to my brother”.

Anderson's family said that they did not understand why he died. Michael was a very outgoing and loveable person and everybody knows that, he had been a devout artist.

Several neighbours said that they noticed three men hanging around on the block while Anderson walked to his station wagon parked outside his house before the shots had been heard.

Eric Darko, a neighbourhood resident told, "I heard like three gunshots. They weren't very loud like from a big gun like a pop, pop, pop three times,".

Anderson had been rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where he was declared dead after  a short time.  On Wednesday afternoon, detectives had continued to gather evidences and portray the neighborhood as they to figure out if the attack had been a robbery attempt or if the victim had been targeted.

Michael Paul Anderson has not been remembered only for his artistic talents but his willingness to share them. Friends said that the Marine vet often mentored young men his community, even starting a program with longtime friend Alex Levesque to teach gang members auto restoration skills.

By Prakriti Neogi