Shawn Randall charged with killing Vallan Francis in front of his girlfriend, young children in West Ridge

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Shawn Francis | Chicago Police

Shawn Francis | Chicago Police

When Vallan Francis saw a rival gang member riding a bicycle down his West Ridge block Friday afternoon, he and his fiancee rushed to grab their little children who were playing on the front lawn.

Vallan’s fiancee knew the 19-year-old as “Lil Shawn” and agreed with Vallan that the teen was “dangerous,” Cook County prosecutors said Tuesday.

They were right, according to authorities.

As Francis, 22, was retrieving a daughter’s bicycle from in front of his home in the 2000 block of West Arthur Avenue, he was gunned by Shawn Randall as his fiancee and children—ages 3, 4 and 7—watched in horror, prosecutors said.
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Edgar Martinez charged with fatal shooting of Daniel Rivera in May in Albany Park


A West Ridge neighborhood man has been charged with the fatal shooting of Daniel Rivera in the Northwest Side Albany Park neighborhood in May.

Edgar M. Martinez | Chicago Police

Edgar M. Martinez | Chicago Police


Edgar M. Martinez, 20, of the 6300 block of North Oakley is charged with murder, aggravated assault and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with Rivera’s death, according to Chicago Police.

Rivera, 27, was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the face in an alley in the 4700 block of North Albany at 11:45 p.m. on May 27, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
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No bond for Garland Benson, charged with the murder of Alvin Vincent Randolph in West Englewood

The man charged with the fatal shooting of Alvin Vincent Randolph in West Englewood in May was ordered held without bond Monday.

Garland Benson | Chicago Police

Garland Benson | Chicago Police


Garland Benson, 26, is charged with one count of first-degree murder for the fatal May 14 shooting in the 6400 block of South Damen, authorities said.

About 7:25 p.m., the 19-year-old Randolph was involved in a fight with “several” people at the Damen location when someone shot him in the back of the head, police said at the time.
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WEEK IN REVIEW: 12 people killed in Chicago violence; four more possible victims await autopsy results

By JARED LANDSMAN and TRISTAN SIMS
Homicide Watch Chicago

At least twelve people were killed in violence in Chicago this past week, and that number may rise by four.

The most recent murder occurred late Saturday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, where 25-year-old Elbert Harris was found with multiple gunshot wounds at 10 p.m. in the 500 block of North Avers, Chicago Police said.

Farris, of the 800 block of North Latrobe, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Earlier Saturday, a two-vehicle crash in the Loop left 20-year-old Jose Luzianos Jr. dead and 18-year-old Ivan Sanchez charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI, according to police.

The crash, involving a BMW and a Jeep, occurred on westbound Lower Wacker Drive near Garvey Court about 4:20 a.m. as the two friends were drag racing after a night of drinking, police said.
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Prosecutors: Jose Luzianos Jr. was drag racing on Lower Wacker with man accused of killing him in DUI crash

By REEMA AMIN and JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Ivan Sanchez had spent the night drinking and hanging out with his friend Jose Luzianos Jr. before it all ended in a fatal drag racing incident, prosecutors claimed on Monday.

Ivan Sanchez | Chicago Police

Ivan Sanchez | Chicago Police


Sanchez, 18, of the 1500 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue, was charged with reckless homicide for the early Saturday crash that killed Luzianos, authorities said. He also faces a charge of aggravated DUI, four misdemeanor counts of DUI, and several traffic citations.

It started Friday night when Sanchez, Luzianos and three others were hanging out at different parking lots, prosecutors said. At some point the group went to a spot on Lower Wacker Drive to “check out each others’ cars, do doughnuts and burnouts.”

That hangout led into early Saturday with Sanchez and Luziano drank Modelo beers, prosecutors said.
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Reckless homicide charges follow DUI crash that left Jose Luzianos Jr. dead on Lower Wacker

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Jose Luzianos Jr. was killed in a two-vehicle crash early Saturday in the Loop, an accident which led to reckless homicide and aggravated DUI charges against the other driver.

Ivan Sanchez | Chicago Police

Ivan Sanchez | Chicago Police


The crash, involving a BMW and a Jeep, occurred on westbound Lower Wacker Drive near Garvey Court about 4:20 a.m., police said. The BMW struck the Jeep, then ran into a concrete barrier.

The driver of the BMW, 20-year-old Luzianos, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he later died, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Luziano, of the 1500 block of West Hollywood, died of multiple blunt-force injuries, and an autopsy ruled his death an accident, according to the medical examiner’s office.
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Charzelle Harris killed, 18-year-old injured in North Lawndale shooting

Charzelle Harris was killed in a North Lawndale neighborhood shooting that also left an 18-year-old man injured early Saturday on the West Side.

About 1 a.m., the 25-year-old Harris was in the 3500 block of West Grenshaw when a light-colored van pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Harris was shot several times in the chest and arm; and officers later learned that an 18-year-old man was grazed by a bullet in the same incident.

Harris, of the 3000 block of West Flournoy, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 20 minutes later, authorities said. The other man’s condition had stabilized at an unknown hospital.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Baby Dillan’s funeral: ‘The hurt. Oh Lord, the hurt.’

By BECKY SCHLIKERMAN
Chicago Sun-Times

Dillan Harris was buried Saturday in a tiny white coffin.

A mourner at Dillan Harris' funeral wears a memorial button. | Becky Schlikerman/Sun-Times

A mourner at Dillan Harris’ funeral wears a memorial button. | Becky Schlikerman/Sun-Times


The 13-month-old wore a white suit as his family celebrated his short life.

A week after little Dillan was run-down by a man fleeing a South Shore shooting, about 500 family, friends and loved ones gathered at Gatling’s Chapel on the city’s South Side.

They wept as they viewed the baby’s body, unable to comprehend why the smiley baby became an innocent victim of Chicago’s violence. A nurse was on hand to make sure people weren’t overcome.

Though he wasn’t killed in a shooting, Dillan, known as “Dill Pickle,” was run over as he sat in his stroller, waiting with his family to head to the beach.

Authorities allege Antoine Watkins was driving a car that was fleeing a fatal shooting in the 7700 block of South Kingston that claimed the life of 22-year-old rapper Marvin “Capo” Carr. Watkins has been charged with murder in Dillan’s death.
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Jemel O’Brien found fatally shot inside car in Englewood

Jemel O’Brien man was found shot and killed inside a vehicle early Saturday in the South Side Englewood neighborhood.

About 4 a.m., officers discovered the 29-year-old O’Brien in the 7400 block of South Eggleston, slumped over the wheel of a white car with gunshot wounds to the arm and groin, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

O’Brien, of the 400 block of West 75th Street, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Police did not have an update on the investigation as of late Sunday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Elbert Farris dies after being shot multiple times in East Garfield Park

Elbert Farris died after being shot repeatedly late Saturday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 10 p.m. in the 500 block of North Avers found the 25-year-old on the ground outside with multiple gunshot wounds, including at least one to the head, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Farris, of the 800 block of North Latrobe, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, the medical examiner’s office said.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire