Slain teen soccer player remembered at gathering of family, teammates

Family and friends gathered at a vigil Monday afternoon to remember Juan Sebastian Salgado, a 17-year-old boy who was killed in a shooting last week in Little Village.

Dozens gathered outside Benito Juarez Community Academy, 1450-1510 W. Cermak Road, on what should have been Salgado's first day of senior year.

Salgado, the captain of the boys' soccer team, was driving a friend home from soccer practice Aug. 19 — a week before the first day of school — when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.

He was driving in the 3800 block of West 26th Street when a truck pulled up and someone inside opened fire, striking him in the shoulder. Salgado was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Students and teammates were seen near the soccer field where Salgado spent a lot of time. They carried flickering candles and white angel wing-shaped balloons that they released.

"All of you here know my son was a good boy who was kind, who was loving, who was disciplined," his father, Angel Salgado, said, fighting back tears. "All of you who knew him are witness to that."

His teammates, who were wearing black and white jerseys, gifted the family a yellow captain's arm band and what would have been Salgado's team jersey with number 21 on the back.

"I hope this never happens again," Angel Salgado said. "I hope that another family doesn’t have to go through this because it’s been so hard. I don’t know how we will overcome this, but I hope that God blesses you all for being here."

Grecia Salgado, Salgado's older sister, said she was grateful for the community's support and appreciated those who attended the vigil.

"It’s hard to put my brother in a bubble because he was many things," she told the Sun-Times. "He was more than just an athlete. He was a friend, a son, he was my brother."

Emmanuel Guerrero, the former coach of Salgado's volleyball team, said he was heartbroken when he heard about the shooting and wanted to show support for the family.

"It breaks my heart that this has happened to a family, to a father, that is so involved in their kids' lives," Guerrero said. "When something like this happens, it’s devastating. We’re constantly trying to keep kids busy so that this doesn’t happen, and to see it happen in our community, it’s heartbreaking."

A GoFundMe has been set up to help with funeral expenses.

No one is in custody.