Amin Smith / Photo from Chicago Police
BY LEEANN SHELTON
Sun-Times Media
Amin H. Smith was ordered held without bond Friday in the Ravenswood shooting death of Dushanti Hassell Sunday night.
Earlier that day, Smith asked the friend to drive him to meet with Hassell, but instead Smith’s mother drove him to meet Hassell at a Dunkin’ Donuts in the 6200 block of South Western Avenue, prosecutors said.
Smith’s friend followed in his own vehicle, and agreed to take Smith and Hassell to an alley in the 2200 block of West Winnemac Avenue, prosecutors said.
When the group got to the alley, the friend got out of the car to urinate while Smith and Hassell walked to a nearby garage, prosecutors said.
The friend heard Smith and Hassell fight and saw them wrestling over a gun, prosecutors said. The friend then saw Hassell on the ground saying, “please, please” as Smith pointed a gun at the his head, prosecutors said.
The friend ran back into the car, then heard a single gunshot, prosecutors said. Smith then got into the car and used a towel to wipe down himself and the gun, prosecutors said.
Smith then called his mother using the friend’s phone, and arranged for her to pick him up at a gas station near North Ashland and West Lawrence avenues, prosecutors said.
Hassell, 21, of the 5700 block of North Kenmore Avenue, died about three hours later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Authorities later found the cell phones of Hassel and Smith in the alley, prosecutors said. Another witness saw the vehicle leave the alley and gave the license plate number to police.
Smith, 21, of the 7800 block of South Greenwood Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder and Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered him held without bond, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
Smith will be back in court April 15.