Evanston police are searching for the suspect in a Thursday night shooting that left a Chicago man dead, the department announced in a news release.

On Thursday at 11:38 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Hovland Court to respond to a call of shots fired. Upon arrival, police located the 20-year-old man, Yakez Semark, who had been shot in the chest following a physical altercation, Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew said in the release.

A GoFundMe page to support Semark’s family has raised $18,000 as of the time of publication. The money will go toward funeral costs and closing Semark’s personal affairs, and any remaining money will create a fund in Semark’s name to support Evanston youth, according to the page.

Semark was an Evanston native who graduated from Evanston Township High School in 2015. According to a GoFundMe post, Semark had just moved into his first apartment after landing his first full-time job at Shake Shack in the Westfield Old Orchard Mall.

“Yakez was living that life with incredible resilience and strength, navigating adversity, racism and the day-to-day challenges that all young people face,” the page said. “There are truly no words to describe the void this community will feel without Yakez’s presence.”

According to the GoFundMe, Semark was an aspiring photographer and dreamed of living in California with his grandfather.

The GoFundMe post said Yakez Semark loved his mother, Evangeline Semark, “more than anything in the world.”

Glew said that after the altercation, the offender fled on foot. The man was transported to Evanston Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

EPD detectives along with members of the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force are currently investigating the incident.

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