CHICAGO — Residents in Lincoln Park met Monday night to discuss the string of violence in their North Side neighborhood. 

The meeting comes as one of their own continues to fight for his life after being shot during a disturbing robbery. The victim, 23-year-old Dakotah Earley, remains in critical condition after police say he was shot three times last Friday.

However on Tuesday evening, his brother posted to Earley’s GoFundMe that “today has been an amazing day for Dakotah!”

He said Earley briefly opened his eyes after his mother called his name and gave his doctor an unexpected “thumbs up.”

Police say Earley was near Webster and Wayne Avenue when a man stepped out from behind a building, pointed a gun at him, and demanded his cell phone around 3 a.m. A struggle ensued and Earley was robbed and then shot three times at close range in the back and head.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance video. The same camera captured unknown offenders stealing catalytic converters near Wayne and Webster Sunday night.  

On Monday, family shared on a GoFundMe page that that his abdomen surgery was successful Monday. They also say that his blood pressure is stabilizing.

The page has raised nearly $77,000 for Earley’s medical expenses as of Tuesday morning.

Monday’s Zoom meeting with the Wrightwood Neighborhood Association and Chicago Police District 19 Commander Amin Jesani focused on violence prevention. Police believe the robbery may be connected to several others on the Northside as officers recovered the white vehicle used during Earley’s attack. 

“One thing I will tell you is once we have the resources,” Jesani said. “We are not going to pull them back. Once we have the resources there and have a better idea of what’s going on, the resources will stay in the area.” 

Chicago police Supt. David Brown shared Monday that the department will be ramping up resources as the warmer weather returns, which often brings an increase in violence.