More than a dozen friends and relatives gathered outside Flores' brick home in the Belmont Central neighborhood as detectives investigated. Flores' acquaintances had shown up at the hospital but were told they couldn't wait there, a friend said.



A Chicago police officer talked to the family in Spanish to explain what investigators were doing. The officer said it was his first crime scene since graduating from the academy this summer.



Flores' family hugged each other and cried. A young woman flung her arms around Flores' mother, who was leaning against a car.



"No, no, no, no," the young woman sobbed.



She sunk to the ground and rocked as she balled herself up.



"They didn't have to take him away from me. And from his mom and his whole family. No!" she screamed.



Friends spoke of Flores as fun-loving and family-oriented.



"He was very silly, he was outgoing," Flores' childhood friend said. "He was very social. He liked to talk to people. That's how he is."



But Flores also faced struggles.



He had been involved in gangs since high school, his friend said. He tried hiding it for a while, but his involvement had become known. His mother dogged him to get out of that life, fearing it could bring danger to the family, the friend said.



"We didn't butt in with his life, he didn't butt in with our life," the friend said. "He got along with all types of people, though. I see it as more bad blood toward him."



Flores' parents declined to comment.



When a police officer took down the red crime tape, relatives flowed back into the home. They crowded together on the porch.