Chicago community raises more than $40K for husband of gay man killed in alleged stalker shooting

More than 400 people donated over $40,000 to support the surviving husband of Nicholas “Pup Tugger” Calzaretta, who was killed in Chicago. Prosecutors say Calzaretta was gunned down by his spouse’s ex-partner after years of alleged harassment and stalking that had reached the courts. On the morning of the shooting, witnesses reported that Calzaretta’s dog stayed beside his body as officers responded to the scene in the Edgewater neighborhood. The death has intensified attention on how protective orders function when threats escalate into intimate partner violence. Court records reportedly show Calzaretta had previously sought a protective order against the accused man. He was known in Chicago’s leather and pup communities and helped found Windy City Pups & Handlers, which described him as central to its culture and identity.

"More than 400 people have donated upwards of $40,000 for the husband of a beloved community member, who prosecutors say was gunned down by his spouse's ex-partner after years of alleged harassment and stalking claims that had previously reached the courts."

"The morning Calzaretta was killed, his dog would not leave him. Neighbors watched from behind police tape as officers flooded a quiet residential block in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood. Children were arriving at nearby schools. And beside Calzaretta's body, witnesses later the Chicago Sun-Times, the dog remained in place after prosecutors say a man with ties to the victim's personal life chased him down and opened fire."

"The death of Calzaretta, 37, has also sharpened attention on a haunting detail buried in court records. According to reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times, Calzaretta previously sought a protective order against the man now accused of killing him."

"Calzaretta was widely known in Chicago's leather and pup communities as "Pup Tugger." According to Windy City Times, he was a founding member of Windy City Pups & Handlers, a community group that fostered social connection and chosen family among queer Chicagoans. In a Facebook statement, the organization described Calzaretta as a foundational presence in the group's culture and identity."

Read at Advocate.com