16-year-old Christian Bandemer fatally shot just blocks from U.S. Cellular Field in Bridgeport

Sixteen-year-old Christian Bandemer was shot to death Friday morning in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the South Side, just a couple of blocks from U.S. Cellular Field.

The teen was shot in the chest about 11:35 a.m. in the 3500 block of South Parnell, Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Bandemer, who lived in the 900 block of West 36th Street, just a few blocks from where he was was shot, was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:59 a.m., authorities said.

An autopsy Saturday found that he died from a shotgun wound to the chest, and his dead was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner’s office said.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Man charged with murder for chasing Pamela Johnson onto Lake Shore Drive, where she was struck by pickup

By FRANK MAIN, ASHLEE REZIN and JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times

Pamela Johnson | photo provided

Pamela Johnson | photo provided


An 18-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Pamela Johnson, who was fatally struck by a pickup as she and her boyfriend attempted to flee an armed robbery by running across Lake Shore Drive last weekend in the Gold Coast.

Semaj Waters was charged Friday with with felony murder, mob action and attempted armed robbery, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. He will appear in bond court on Saturday.

Police on Thursday were questioning two adults and four teenagers in the death of the 32-year-old Johnson, who was killed early Sunday morning in the 600 block of North Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast neighborhood.

Waters was the only person charged on Friday, but prosecutors and Chicago Police said the investigation is ongoing.
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21-year-old Kevin Atkins dies nearly two weeks after being shot in a drive-by in Lawndale

Kevin M. Atkins died Wednesday, nearly two weeks after being shot in the Lawndale neighborhood.

The 21-year-old was outside about 4:40 p.m. May 21 in the 3600 block of West 13th Street when a vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Atkins, of the 3600 block of West Douglas Boulevard, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 5:09 a.m. Wednesday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Thursday found he died of complications from a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and his death was ruled a homicide.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

17-year-old Marshawn Clinkscale found shot to death in South Shore

A 17-year-old boy was shot to death Wednesday evening in the South Shore neighborhood.

Marshawn Clinkscale was found unresponsive on the street with a gunshot wound to the head about 5 p.m. in the 7500 block of South Coles, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Clinkscale, of the 1700 block of East 73rd Street, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:40 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

16-year-old Victor Felix fatally shot while walking just blocks from his high school in West Elsdon

Sixteen-year-old Victor Felix was shot to death Wednesday morning in the West Elsdon neighborhood on the Southwest Side, just two blocks from the high school he attened.

The boy was in the 5600 block of South Keeler at 8:44 a.m. when a brown Buick pulled up, the driver got out and fired shots, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Felix, of the 4000 block of South Albany, was shot in the left and right shoulder, mouth and hand, authorities said. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 9:18 a.m.

The shooting scene was just two blocks from John Hancock College Prep High School, where Felix was just completing his sophomore year, according to his Facebook page.

The school sent the following robocall out to parents, according to a CPS spokesman: We regret to inform you that a violent incident occurred this morning off school grounds resulting the death of one of our students.

The Chicago Public Schools’ Crisis Management Unit was at our school today to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff members. Our own counselors, social workers, and psychologists will work closely with this team and then continue to be available for students who need ongoing services.

If your child voices concerns or fears regarding the incident or if you notice any changes in his/her behavior, please let us know.”

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Chicago man gets seven years for fatal gang-related stabbing of Benito Juarez in 2014 in Little Village

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Jose Marroquin | Illinois Dept. of Corrections

Jose Marroquin | Illinois Dept. of Corrections


An alleged gang member was sentenced to seven years in prison last week after he pleaded guilty to fatally stabbing Benito Juarez of Cicero in Little Village in 2014.

Jose Marroquin, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder before Judge Vincent Gaughan on Friday, according to Cook County court records.

Prosecutors said Marroquin and several friends were inside the Las Delicias restaurant at 4142 W. 26th at 4:40 a.m. April 27, 2014, when Marroquin saw 40-year-old Benito Juarez walk by outside.

After exchanging gang signs, Marroquin ran out of the restaurant after Juarez, and stabbed him once in the throat with a knife, prosecutors said. Juarez was helped across the street by his friends, where he collapsed.
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15-year-old Fabian Lavinder fatally shot while sitting in car in South Chicago

Fifteen-year-old Fabian Lavinder was fatally shot in the South Chicago neighborhood Tuesday night.

Chicago Police investigate the shooting of a 15-year-old boy Tuesday night in the 2900 block of East 89th Street. | Network Video Productions

Chicago Police investigate the shooting of a 15-year-old boy Tuesday night in the 2900 block of East 89th Street. | Network Video Productions


About 10:15 p.m., the boy was in the front seat of a vehicle in the 2900 block of East 89th Street when a white sedan pulled up and someone inside shot him in the chest, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Lavinder, of the 8700 block of South Muskegon, was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:47 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine killed in violence across the city, four in first two days of holiday weekend

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Chicago Sun-Times file photo

Chicago Sun-Times file photo


At least nine people were killed in violecne last week in Chicago, including four in the first three days of a violent Memorial Day weekend, which saw nearly 70 people shot across the city.

Garvin Whitmore was shot to death Saturday evening in the Fuller Park neighborhood. The 27-year-old was sitting in a vehicle with his fiancee about 5:20 p.m. in the 200 block of West Root when someone walked up and shot him in the head, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The woman then got out and fired shots as the shooter ran away, police said. No one else was injured.

Whitmore, of the 5800 block of West 63rd Place, was pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner’s office said.

His fiancee, 26-year-old Ashley Harrison of Aurora, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without an FOID card, according to police. She was ordered held on a $250,000 bond.

No one is in custody for the murder.

A 23-year-old man was shot to death in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side on Saturday morning. Damien Cionzynski got into a fight with two other males inside a business about 5:15 a.m. in the 6300 block of West Montrose, police and the medical examiner’s office said.
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Shawn Ewing shot to death, second man wounded while sitting on a porch in Englewood

Shawn Ewing was fatally shot and another man wounded as they sat on a porch Friday afternoon in the Englewood neighborhood.

The men, ages 39 and 26, were sitting on a porch just after 2:30 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Loomis when someone ran out of a gangway and began shooting at them, according to Chicago Police.

The older man, identified as Ewing, was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:50 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived on the same block where the shooting happened.

The 26-year-old was shot in the right leg and lower back, and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Man found stabbed to death in Englewood identified as 22-yar-old Marshawn Cooper

Marshawn A. Cooper was found stabbed to death early Friday in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

A 22-year-old man was found stabbed to death in a car in Englewood early Friday. | Network Video Productions

A 22-year-old man was found stabbed to death in a car in Englewood early Friday. | Network Video Productions


Cooper, 22, was found in the driver’s seat of a car in the 7200 block of South Aberdeen about 12:15 a.m. Friday, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Cooper, of the 3600 block of West 120th Street in Alsip, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy found he died of a stab wound to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide. Police initially said he had been shot.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire