By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire
Despite the first weekend of the year in which there were no fatal shootings, at least seven people died from violence last week in Chicago. And while that number is unacceptable, it was the lowest number of murders in the city since the week of New Year’s, when only 5 people were killed.
A north suburban man was fatally shot after an argument in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood on Friday night.
Wavey Brown, 44, was arguing with another man in an alley in the 5000 block of South Calumet Avenue at 9:30 p.m. when the other man pulled out a gun and fired, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
Brown, who lived in the 300 block of Washington Street in Waukegan, suffered a gunshot wound to the back, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m., authorities said.
Also Friday, a 22-year-old west suburban man was fatally shot in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood on the Northwest Side. About 1:15 a.m., Courtney Copeland got out of a car in the 5500 block of West Grand and approached officers in a squad car in front of the 25th District police station, police said.
When he said he had been shot in the back, the Cicero resident was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. It was unclear exactly where COpeland had been shot, and no one was in custody as of Monday.
The wheelchair-bound suspect in a fatal shooting in the gym of a River West apartment building Wednesday night is in custody after surrendering to police early Thursday.
Darrin Joss, 45, was shot in the head about 7 p.m. in the eighth-floor gym of the apartment building where he lived at 555 W. Kinzie, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Joss died about half an hour later at a hospital.
Late Thursday, Reggie Daniel, 48, was charged with one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Joss in the head and chest as Joss used a treadmill at the gym. Prosecutors said the two had argued about a woman earlier. Joss was being held on a $1 million bond.
Tommie L. Pledge was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in a Humboldt Park neighborhood business, police said.
A suspect or suspects entered a store in the 3600 block of West Division Street at 4:33 p.m. and shot the 31-year-old Pledge several times before running away, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pledge, of the 5200 block of West Congress, died of multiple gunshots wounds, an autopsy showed.
Natyia Kyrell Bowen was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in Austin. The 22-year-old was outside in the 300 block of North Central at 1:55 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him multiple times, according to the medical examiner’s office and Police.
Bowen, of the 9100 block of South Yates Boulevard, was shot in the head and torso, and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
William Bustos was shot dead in Back of the Yards neighborhood Tuesday evening, ending a period of nearly 75 hours without a fatal shooting in the city.
The 20-year-old was walking in the 4400 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 6:15 p.m. when someone got out of a car, walked up to him and fired several shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
Bustos, who lived in the 1700 block of West 43rd Street, was shot in the chest and head, and was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later.
A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death Tuesday evening in West Garfield Park. Someone stabbed Fredrick Brown in the chest about 5:45 p.m. during a fight over money in the 3900 block of West Jackson, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
Brown, who lived in the 3800 block of West Adams, was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later. No one was in custody in connection with the stabbing, police said.