WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 27 killed, including twin 17-year-old boys and 14-year-old honor student

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 16:00:20 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 27 people died from violence in Chicago last week, including 17 in the deadliest weekend of the year in Chicago. The death toll included a 14-year-old honor student, and twin 17-year-old boys.

At least 17 people, including four teenagers, were killed and 41 people were wounded in shootings across the city between Friday evening and Monday morning, the highest weekend death toll in a year that had seen more than 640 homicides through Halloween.

The twin brothers were killed in a drive-by shooting early Sunday in Old Town. Edwin Bryant and Edward Bryant were standing outside about 3:15 a.m. in the 1300 block of North Hudson when a dark-colored vehicle drove by and someone inside opened fire, according to authorities.

Edwin was shot in the chest and back, and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:45 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and Chicago Police. Edward suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and head, and was also taken to Northwestern, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

The 14-year-old boy was fatally shot early Saturday in the South Austin neighborhood. At 1:23 a.m., DeMarco Webster Jr. was on the street helping his father load items into a car in the 500 block of South Central when someone in a dark-colored car shot him in the torso, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Webster was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he died abut two hours later, authorities said. Demarco was an 8th-grade honor student at Jensen Scholastic Academy.

A man was who was shot Saturday evening in the Englewood neighborhood died about eight hours later. At 7:23 p.m., 36-year-old Walter McCurry was standing in the street in the 1100 block of West 57th Street when someone in a dark-colored car fired shots, hitting him in the chest, arm and hip, according to authorities. He was pronounced dead at a hospital at 3:47 a.m. Sunday, according to the medical examiner’s office.
A boy was killed and a man wounded in a Near West Side shooting early Sunday. The men, ages 19 and 40, were in a car at 2:59 a.m. in the 2100 block of West Jackson when someone walked up and fired shots in their direction, according to police. The driver tried to speed away, but the vehicle struck a parked vehicle before coming to a rest.
RaeQuonn Williams Ricks, 17, suffered several gunshot wounds to the back, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner’s office and police. The man was shot in the shoulder and was also taken to Stroger, where his condition was stabilized.
A woman was shot to death early Sunday in the South Deering neighborhood on the Far South Side. Clara Gonzalez, 31, showed up at 2:34 a.m. in the 10700 block of South Hoxie and told witnesses she was shot, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Gonzalez had suffered a gunshot wound to the body and someone took her to Trinity Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:06 a.m.
A man was shot to death early Sunday in the Chatham neighborhood on the South Side. Officers responding about 1 a.m. to a call of shots fired in the 7900 block of South Vernon found 38-year-old Lindsey Anderson lying on the sidewalk, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Anderson was shot in the head and chest, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A west suburban man was fatally shot early Sunday in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 12:45 a.m. found 31-year-old Gilbert Leroy Wainwright III lying on the sidewalk in the 3400 block of West Hirsch, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Wainwright, of Downers Grove, had suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was taken to Norwegian American Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Friends said he was returning from a concert when he was attacked.
A man was shot to death Saturday night in the Archer Heights neighborhood on the Southwest Side. Luis Corona, 19, was in a parked vehicle at 8:05 p.m. in the 4800 block of South Karlov when two men tried to rob him, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Corona tried to escape but was shot in the chest, and then crashed his vehicle into two parked vehicles at the end of an alley. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A man was shot dead in a parked vehicle Saturday night in the South Side Gresham neighborhood. Robert McClinton, 28, was sitting in a parked vehicle in an alley in the 8300 block of South Hermitage at 7:32 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him in the head, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. McClinton was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 19-year-old man died Saturday evening, one day after he was shot while driving in the Kelvin Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side. At 11:47 a.m. Friday, Aaron Bennett was arguing with someone else in traffic while driving in the 2700 block of North Central, when the suspect opened fire before driving away, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
Bennett was shot in the head and was originally taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, authorities said. He was later transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:02 p.m. Saturday.
A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot Saturday afternoon in West Garfield Park. Deandre Banks was discovered outside at 4:50 p.m. in the 200 block of South Kostner with gunshot wounds to his back and leg, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 25-year-old man was shot to death early Saturday in the South Side Auburn Gresham neighborhood. At 12:04 a.m., Martell Turner was sitting in a vehicle in the 1200 block of West 79th Street, when someone walked up and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Turner was hit in the chest and abdomen, and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead 90 minutes later, authorities said.
A 30-year-old man was shot to death late Friday in the South Shore neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of a person shot just before midnight found him near 78th and South Shore Drive with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. Tyrice Anderson was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead. He lived in the same block as the shooting.
A woman and man were shot to death in a gas station parking lot late Friday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Chiquita Ford of west suburban Westchester and Brian Fields of Chicago, both 30, were sitting in a vehicle about 10:20 p.m. at the station in the 1900 block of West Garfield when a gunman walked up and fired at them, hitting her in the side and him in the chest, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
A 38-year-old man was shot to death in the Austin neighborhood Friday night. Hernando Lamont Caster was on a sidewalk in the 4900 block of West Huron about 9 p.m. when two gunmen walked up and shot him in the back and thighs, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Caster was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died two hours later.
A man died of gunshot wounds suffered in a shooting Friday morning in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side, authorities said. Steven Cowan, 29, was sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle at 11:31 a.m. in the 6400 block of South Damen when someone walked out of a gangway, fired at him and ran away through the same gangway, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Cowan suffered gunshot wounds to the back, chest and both arms; and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 9 p.m.
On Tuesday, Joseph Bey, a previously convicted murderer, was charged with the killing and ordered held without bond. Bey was sentenced to 40 years in prison in the early 1990s for a gang-related murder in which he and two others chased down a rival and beat him to death, according to the Cook County prosecutors.
A 41-year-old man was shot to death Thursday evening in the Homan Square neighborhood. About 6:40 p.m., someone walked up to DeAndre Walton in the 3500 block of West Polk and opened fire, hitting him multiple times, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Walton was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police believe the fatal shootings of Phillip Lewis and Lawrence Washington—about five hours and a block apart in the Goose Island neighborhood on the Near North Side—are related, but they aren’t sure how. Early Thursday, Washington, 35, was found shot to death in the 1000 block of north Willard Court. He was found in the driver’s seat of his car with a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
About five hours earlier, the 33-year-old Lewis, of south suburban Matteson, was found shot to death about a block away in the 900 block of North Racine at 7:11 p.m. Wednesday, the medical examiner’s office and police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe the shootings are connected, and are exploring the “relationship and backgrounds of the victims.” Sources said Lewis, who worked as a union pipefitter, was acquainted with Williams, a correctional officer, and the two had worked together buying and rehabbing vacant properties.
After a SWAT unit surrounded an apartment building in West Town for more than 5 hours Tuesday night, the bodies of Loretta A. Purcell and her son Christopher Kelly Purcell were found inside. Authorities say the 84-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her 58-year-old son, who then took his own life.
Officers responded about 4:30 p.m. to a call of a domestic shooting inside the building in the 800 block of North Wolcott, according to police. But Purcell refused to come out of the apartment, and a police SWAT team was called to the hostage/barricade situation, authorities said. After surrounding the building near the busy intersection of Chicago and Wolcott, the SWAT team made entry into the home just about 9:45 p.m. The victims were both found dead inside. An autopsy found Loretta Purcell died of multiple sharp force injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide. Christopher Purcell died of a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide.
A man was fatally shot in the Sheridan Park neighborhood Wednesday afternoon. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 3:40 p.m. in the 4400 block of North Racine found 26-year-old Tramell Williams lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Williams was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died less than an hour later.
A man was fatally stabbed Tuesday morning during a domestic fight in the North Lawndale neighborhood. Lamar Watson, 39, was stabbed multiple times in the chest in the 1400 block of South Avers at 8:50 a.m. during a fight with someone he knew, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived on the same block where he was stabbed. Watson was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No one was in custody, police said.
A 16-year-old boy died after being shot multiple times Monday afternoon in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. The shooting happened about 4:45 p.m. in the 1200 block of North Pulaski, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Jaylen Howard was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died. The circumstances of the shooting were not immediately known, police said.
A 23-year-old man died hours after being shot in the Hermosa neighborhood Sunday night. Officers responding to a call of shots fired just after 7 p.m. in the 1900 block of North Karlov when they found the Samuel Williams unresponsive on the ground with gunshot wounds to the face, chest, back and hand, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Williams was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 5:33 a.m. Monday.

The death of a South Side man who was assaulted in 2007 in the Washington Park neighborhood was also ruled a homicide last week. Robert Bishop, 78, died Monday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of complications of traumatic brain injury from the past assault and his death was ruled a homicide.

Bishop was assaulted with “broom handles and sharp objects” on May 8, 2007, in the 5100 block of South Calumet, the medical examiner’s office said. He lived in the same block.

Authorities say 84-year-old Loretta Purcell was stabbed to death by her son, who then took his own life in West Town

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 11:32:11 -0500

More than five hours after a SWAT unit surrounded an apartment building in West Town on Tuesday night, the body of Loretta A. Purcell was found inside the building she owned.

Authorities say the 84-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her son, 58-year-old Christopher Kelly Purcell, who then took his own life with a gun.

Family members said Christopher Purcell had long suffered from mental health and substance abuse issues, and lived in an apartment in the building, though in a separate unit than his mother, who never stopped trying to help him.

Officers responded about 4:30 p.m. to a call of a domestic shooting inside the building in the 800 block of North Wolcott, according to Chicago Police.

But Purcell refused to come out of the apartment, and a police SWAT team was called to the hostage/barricade situation, authorities said.

After surrounding the building near the busy intersection of Chicago and Wolcott, and stopping traffic on Wolcott for more than five hours, the SWAT team made entry into the home just about 9:45 p.m.

The victims were both found dead inside, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. They were pronounced dead at the scene at 9:58 p.m.

An autopsy Wednesday found Loretta Purcell died of multiple sharp force injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office. Christopher Purcell died of a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Christopher Kelly Purcell | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 27 killed, including twin 17-year-old boys and 14-year-old honor student

Authorities say 84-year-old Loretta Purcell was stabbed to death by her son, who then took his own life in West Town