WEEK IN REVIEW: 13 killed in violence, including two accidental shootings

At least 13 people died from violence the week of October 23-29 in Chicago. The victims included 10 people who where fatally shot, including two who police said were killed in “accidental” shootings.

The homicides considered accidental by police were the shootings of a 16-year-old girl and a 21-year-old woman, police said.

Eshunte Mayfield | Facebook

Eshunte Mayfield | Facebook

The girl, identified as Eshani Mayfield, died less than 30 minutes after an acquaintance was handling a gun and it accidentally discharged, stirking Mayfield in the eye Sunday evening in Woodlawn, police said.

Three people have been charged in connection with the shooting that killed the Amundsen High School cheerleader. Joshua Baker, 19, who lives on the same block, was charged with one felony count of obstruction of justice for destroying evidence from the shooting, according to Chicago Police. Baker was released on his own recognizance.

A 16-year-old girl, whose identity was not released, was charged as a juvenile with involuntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. SHe is the one who was allegedly holding the gun when it went off. A 17-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile with obstructing justice and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to prosecutors. Both teens were ordered held in custody until their next hearing Dec. 1, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

A 21-year-old woman also died of an accidental gunshot in the Portage Park neighborhood, police said.

Nadia Manjarrez | Facebook

Nadia Manjarrez | Facebook

About 10 p.m. Saturday night, 21-year-old Nadia Manjarrez and a 37-year-old man were inside a home in the 4800 block of West Hutchinson when the gun went off, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Manjarrez, who lived in the neighborhood, was shot in the head and was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Manjarrez was a 2014 graduate of Round Lake High School. An autopsy did not rule on her cause and manner of death, with results pending further investigation, the medical examiner’s office said.

The gun was recovered and the man, whom friends said was Manjarrez’ boyfriend, was initially detained for questioning, police said. He was later released without charges as Area North detectives continue to investigate.

Other homicides last week included:

  • Two men were shot to death Friday morning in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the West Side. Just after 10 a.m., the victims were in a vehicle in the 3400 block of West Augusta, according to police. A person walked up to the vehicle and engaged them in conversation, then started firing shots. Kenta Ali Holifield, 39, was shot multiple times in the chest and head, and was found inside the vehicle, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Holifield, an Indianapolis resident, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Lonnie Hartman, 31, was shot multiple times and was found in the street, police said. Hartman, a West Side Austin neighborhood resident, was taken to Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Autopsies found both men died of multiple gunshot wounds.

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Man charged with fatally stabbing his roommate, 53-year-old Robert Gant, during argument in their Roseland apartment

Robert Gant was stabbed to death inside his Far South Side Roseland neighborhood apartment on Friday, and his 52-year-old roommaten has been charged with his murder.

Jerome Flagg | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Jerome Flagg | Cook County Sheriff’s Dept.


About 5 a.m., the 53-year-old Gant was arguing with his roommate, Jerome Flagg at their home in the 100 block of West 115th Street, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Flagg at some point picked up a knife and stabbed Gant multiple times, police said.

Gant was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:45 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

Flagg was taken into custody immediately and charged with one count of first-degree murder, according to police.

He was denied bond during a court hearing Sunday and was next scheduled to appear in court Monday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire