Reinaldo “Reii” Sanchez expressed himself through a spray can.
He decorated walls around the city with his tagging name “Yers” in bold, saturated letters.
Sanchez, 28, grew up in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood and was known for always being artistic and genuine, childhood friends said. He wasn’t involved in gangs and just stayed with a tagging crew, according to friends. Friends said they were in disbelief to discover that Sanchez had been killed early Monday.
“I’m just sad that this happened to him because, to be honest, he was the kind of person who would go around and try to make everyone laugh,” said childhood friend Odalys Quintana, 23. “It’s a sad way for him to go.”
Sanchez and at least three other men were walking to a parked car just after 2 a.m. Monday in the 5300 block of West Irving Park Road when another car hit it, causing minor damage, police said. The driver got out of the car and they began to argue. The dispute escalated and the driver took out a knife and attacked the four men before driving away — possibly with another person in the vehicle. A man was also beaten during the incident.
Sanchez was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, police said. He died of multiple stab wounds, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The other three men, ages 27, 28 and 29, were all brought to the same hospital and initially were listed in critical condition.
A 28-year-old man who was punched in the face was taken to Community First Medical Center in good condition, police said. None of the victims were known to police.
No one was in custody Tuesday. Chicago police spokeswoman Kellie Bartoli said investigators are looking into a video of the incident to try to find more information and believe the offender may have been in a blue pickup truck.
Monday evening, Quintana drove to where the incident took place and dropped off a candle at a memorial for Sanchez, she said. She had her own moment of silence for her old friend and remembered their high school years, she said. They would often walk home together after class at Foreman High School and stop to grab a bag of spicy chips.
Sanchez was like an older brother to her and would offer advice: Don’t let people walk all over you.
Sanchez also stood up for her when others would try to start drama. She last spoke to him about 2 1/2 years ago as they grew in different directions.
Another friend, who asked not to be named, said her family grew up in the same house as Sanchez’s family and she had known him since she was 3 years old. He has a younger sister, who is closer to her age, but they all played together throughout their childhood.
The friend said her favorite memories were of them foot racing with other kids from across the street. Sanchez normally won because he was taller than them and skinny — which they would poke fun of him about as children. When he became a teenager, his father moved to Mexico, so Sanchez had to take on more responsibility and care for his mother who was sick and help pay the bills.
“He was a good son. He was a good brother,” she said. “He was the man of the house, but he was a sweet person. I don’t think anyone can say anything negative about him.”
He was friendly to everyone and people in the neighborhood all knew him, she said. His family plans to have a small funeral service for him, she said. Even though the friend said her family hasn’t kept in contact as much after Sanchez’s family moved to another house, they were invited to attend.
“He’s a nice person. I couldn’t believe it was him either. He’s not the type that you would see arguing or fighting,” she said. “It sucks that another human being could do that to another person. How could you not feel bad?”
