Neighborhood in uproar after shooting in Rockford leaves one dead and one seriously injured

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Police lineups and investigators could be seen near the 4500 block of Governor's Drive in Rockford on Thomas Rimkus's Sunday commute to work.

“I would not have expected something like this on a Sunday morning,” says Thomas. “Of course I would have preferred to stay at home.”

Hours before he started his lawnmower, the Rockford Police Department (RPD) reported gunshots in the southeast neighborhood. Two adult men were hospitalized for “serious injuries” from gunshots.

“Please avoid the area,” the RPD said at 4:34 a.m. In an update at 7:49 a.m., police announced that a 27-year-old man had died as a result of his injuries.

“My thoughts are with the family,” says the manager. “When you see something like this, you know that nothing good was involved here.”

An active investigation appeared to be underway Sunday afternoon. Officers patrolled two cordoned-off residences while an investigator examined markings and what appeared to be a firearm.

Thomas has been providing lawn and snow removal services to the Rockford neighborhood since he started his business over 20 years ago. As a long-time resident of the Forest City, he knows the signs when a situation on these properties could turn tragic.

“You just want to see them patrolling – driving in and out,” says Thomas. “Instead of staying there for a while and seeing more cars coming, because then you know something else is going on.”

As families left the apartment complex, police officers were walking in and out of 4509 Governor's Drive. Although the identity of those shot or the cause are not yet known, the tragic scene is not unfamiliar to Thomas.

“When you enter an apartment and find someone dead or things like that, it stays in your memory,” says the manager.

Sunday's shooting in Rockford followed another gun death on August 13 in the 400 block of South 5th Street – the city's Midtown district. In light of the recent crimes, Thomas is urging residents to check on their neighbors.

“In an apartment building, you never know who your neighbor might be,” says Thomas. “Hopefully we get along. But that doesn't mean that's always the case.”

Nevertheless, the manager is confident that these conversations can bridge difficult times: “Just pay more attention to what's going on: who you're working with, who's coming by or what you have.”

As of Sunday, police have not released any information on possible suspects or charges. Stay with WIFR for the latest on this developing story.

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