Friends, family remember man fatally shot near U of I: 'He would always help you out'

FOX 32 NEWS - It was an emotional day for family and friends of Mundelein man who was shot and killed near the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.

Outside the Kristan Funeral Home in Mundelein, friends hugged one another and wiped away tears as they gathered to pay their respects to 22-year-old George Korchev.

Making sense of his murder was not easy.

“I don't think anyone can make sense of it. It was really hard news to believe, it's hard to believe it now and I'm sure it's going to take a long time to sink in,” said Marianna Borinskaya, one of Korchev’s co-workers.

Korchev was shot and killed while visiting friends in Champaign early Sunday morning. Authorities say a spilled drink led to a fight where a man was brutally beaten in a parking lot just off campus.

A warrant has now been issued for 18-year-old Robbie Patton. He was friends with the beating victim and police say he pulled out a gun and fired shots in retaliation. But the people that were shot had nothing to do with the fight.

“You hear about all this gun violence, and everything that's going on, and you really don't realize its actually happening until it happens to someone that's close to you, and that's the worst part about this,” said Samantha Hoeft as she held back tears.

Friends remembered Korchev for his smile and more.

“His personality and sense of humor man, it was just, his jokes, his laughter. If you know his laughter, his laughter was great, it was just overwhelming,” said his friend Sam Geller.

Korchev had just started a new job as a nurse at the Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

“He was the type of guy that he would always help you out no matter what, always lend a helping hand at work,” Borinskaya said.

A young man who was pursuing a career caring for others now leaves his friends to care for one another.

"He was always just trying to help everybody, that's all he ever wanted,” said Alex Wong.

As of late Wednesday, Champaign police were still looking for Patton.