Homicide Watch Chicago

By ASHLEE REZIN and JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Aristeo “Pascuale” Soriano had walked home from his job as a baker at a popular West Town bakery almost every day for the last 25 years.

On Wednesday morning, after a shift that ended at 2 a.m., the father of four never made it home.

About 2:24 a.m., the 49-year-old Soriano was walking in the 1300 block of West Huron, according to Chicago Police. He was going home from D’Amato’s Bakery, where he had worked for more than 20 years.

As he was walking, a male suspect walked up, pulled out a weapon and shot him, according to police.

Soriano was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later, authorities said.
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Thaddeus “Tad” Dean was killed in an Austin neighborhood drive-by shooting Wednesday afternoon on the West Side.

The 26-year-old Dean was standing outside about 3 p.m. on the sidewalk in the 100 block of South Lockwood, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Someone in a passing vehicle fired shots and Dean was hit.

He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:29 p.m., authorities said.

Dean, who had attended Foreman High School, lived about three blocks away in the same neighborhood. He was known as “tad” or “KT.”

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By RACHEL HINTON and LUKE WILUSZ
Chicago Sun-Times

The latest mass shooting in the city happened late Tuesday in Bronzeville just two blocks or so from what one would think to be a safe zone: the Chicago Police Department headquarters at 3510 S. Michigan Ave.

Alfred Mitchell Jr. and others were outside barbecuing shortly after 10:30 p.m. They were standing on the sidewalk when a group of men walked up and fired shots from the corner of East 37th Place near South Michigan Avenue, Chicago Police said.

The 28-year-old Mitchell, known as AJ, was shot in the back, and was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Six others, ranging in age from 21 to 46, were wounded.

A 21-year-old woman shot in the left knee, a 28-year-old woman shot in the left leg and a 45-year-old woman shot in the right buttock were all taken to Stroger Hospital, police said. A 46-year-old woman shot in the right leg and a 27-year-old woman shot in the left leg were taken to Mercy Hospital. The seventh victim, a 30-year-old man, suffered gunshot wounds to the right leg and later showed up at Northwestern Memorial, police said. All were expected to survive.
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By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Lavatus McCullough died Monday afternoon, one year after he was wounded in a domestic shooting in the Northwest Side Logan Square neighborhood, and a woman has been charged with his murder.

Samantha Santiago, 29, was charged July 25 with one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of the 36-year-old McCullough, according to Chicago Police and Cook County court records.

McCullough was shot in the neck about 1:30 a.m. on July 31, 2016 in the 2000 block of North Kedzie, authorities said.

McCullough, who lived on the Near North Side, died at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 1:58 p.m. Monday, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Tuesday found he died of complications of a remote gunshot wound to the neck, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Police said the shooting happened during a domestic dispute.

Santiago, who lived on the same block as the shooting, remains held at the Cook County Jail on a $950,000 bond, according to Cook County sheriff’s records. She is next scheduled to appear in court Aug. 21.

Steven Gaines of Green Bay, Wisconsin, died Sunday night after he was shot the previous day in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side.

Gaines, 51, was involved in an argument with someone at 11:04 a.m. Saturday near a vehicle in the 3300 block of West Washington, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The other person pulled out a firearm and shot Gaines in the head, authorities said.

Gaines was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died at 9:54 p.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy ruled his death a homicide.

A person was initially taken into custody in connection with the shooting, but has since been released without charges, police said. No other details were released.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A man wanted for the fatal shooting of Jeremy H. Ray more than a year ago in the South Chicago neighborhood has been captured in Minnesota.

Shaqir Mustapha, 20, was arrested Aug. 1 in the 5800 block of 73rd Avenue North in Brooklyn Park by the FBI Minneapolis Violent Crimes Task Force, according to FBI spokesman Garrett Croon.

A first-degree murder warrant was issued July 1, 2016, by Judge Robert Johnson, charging Mustapha with the fatal shooting of the 27-year-old Ray, according to Cook County court records.

At 9:35 p.m. June 10, 2016, Ray was outside in the 8900 block of South Brandon about 9:35 p.m. when two gunmen got out of a car, walked up and opened fire, striking him repeatedly, authorities said at the time. The shooters got back in the car and drove off.

Ray, who lived in the Far South Side Mount Greenwood neighborhood, was taken to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:27 p.m., authorities said.

The Chicago Police Department asked the FBI to locate and arrest Mustapha, who was identified by witnesses as the shooter.

He is being held at the Hennepin County Jail in Minneapolis, Croon said.

A woman taken into custody after Damien Hernandez was killed Sunday morning in what police called a domestic-related shooting in the Clearing neighborhood on the Southwest Side has been released without charges.

At 5:18 a.m., the 30-year-old woman was being battered by Hernandez in the 5900 block of West 65th Street, according to Chicago Police and Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The woman then pulled out a gun and shot Hernandez three times, authorities said.

Hernandez, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:41 a.m., authorities said. He lived on the block where he was killed.

Police said the incident was believed to be domestic-related.

The woman was taken into custody after the shooting, but police said Tuesday she has been released with no charges filed.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Marvin Hines was shot to death late Saturday while driving in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

About 10:40 p.m., the 39-year-old Hines was driving west in the 300 block of West 57th Street, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

That’s when someone fired shots, striking him multiple times in the torso, police said. It was not known if the shots came from the street or another vehicle.

Hines’ vehicle then struck a fence, authorities said. Officers eventually found him, still in the vehicle, and he was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:19 p.m., authorities said.

He lived several blocks away in the same neighborhood.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A 38-year-old man was charged with reckless homicide for a Belmont Cragin crash in June that left Javier Castregon dead and three other people injured.

Richard Massenburg of the West Side Austin neighborhood was charged Friday with one count of reckless homicide, according to Cook County sheriff’s office records. His bond was set at $250,000 during a court appearance Saturday.

He also faces multiple traffic citations, including failure to reduce speed, two counts of DUI, and driving an uninsured motor vehicle, according to Chicago Police.

Massenburg was speeding near Cicero and Wellington at 9:53 a.m. June 11 when his vehicle struck a second vehicle, causing that vehicle to strike three others, police said at the time.

Castregon, 38, was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:51 a.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived in the same neighborhood as the crash.

A 39-year-old woman was taken to Illinois Masonic; and two other women, ages 27 and 77, were taken to Community First Medical Center. Their conditions were stabilized.

Massenburg’s next court appearance was scheduled for Monday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Damien “Lil Slay” Santoyo, who recently turned 14, was killed in a Pilsen neighborhood drive-by shooting early Sunday on the South Side.

About 2:35 a.m., Damien was standing on a porch with two other boys in the 1700 block of South Newberry Avenue, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A vehicle drive past, people inside started yelling gang slogans and firing shots, police said.

Damien was shot in the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:50 a.m., authorities said. The other boys were not injured.

Damien, who lived in the Ashburn neighborhood on the Southwest Side, graduated from 8th grade last spring. He played football and was not involved in gang activity, family members said.
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