Overview
- Prosecutors say Ammar Houssamo tracked down Nick Calzaretta during a morning dog walk in Edgewater, fatally shot him, then shot himself, and now faces first-degree murder and illegal gun possession charges.
- Houssamo, 53, survived the self-inflicted wound and remains hospitalized in critical condition as court records indicate a detention hearing is expected Tuesday.
- Court filings detail repeated unwanted contact that began in August 2023, prompting Calzaretta to seek an emergency protective order and later resign from his job after emails were sent to his coworkers.
- The protective order was dissolved in April 2024 without explanation after an arrest on an alleged violation ended in a not-guilty finding, and the family now questions why the protection lapsed and how Houssamo obtained a gun.
- Illinois lawmakers have proposed making protective-order violations a felony and raising penalties, citing a sharp rise in domestic-violence deaths and renewed calls from the victim’s family for tighter gun access.