Paris Walker-Rush | Homicide Watch Chicago

Five years in prison for accidental shooting that killed David Kennedy in Hyde Park apartment in 2014

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 13:22:13 -0600

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Paris Walker-Rush | Cook County sheriff's office

A man has been sentenced to five years in prison for accidentally shooting David Kennedy to death last year in a Hyde Park apartment.

Paris D. Walker-Rush, 26, was sentenced to five years Wednesday by Judge Mary Margaret Brosnahan after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, according to Cook County court records.

Kennedy, 24, was found shot in the head in an apartment in the 5200 block of South Cornell about 9 p.m. Nov. 21, 2014, authorities said at the time.

Kennedy, of the 3700 block of South Wood Street, died at the scene. An autopsy confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the head, and the death was ruled a homicide.

Walker-Rush was arrested without incident immediately after the shooting, police said. A police source said the men were playing with the gun at the time and appeared to fire accidentally.

Walker-Rush, of the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue, will receive credit for 349 days served in the Cook County jail.

Comment of the Day: "I know he [wishes] he can turn back time ... and never had a gun in his hand"

Michael Lansu — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 16:34:50 -0600

David Kennedy, 24, was killed Friday night when Paris Walker-Rush accidentally shot him inside a Hyde Park apartment, prosecutors said. Reader "Omar" posted this about the killing:

Feel bad for the victim. My condolences to the families. I know he wish he can turn back time, and avoided this incident, and never had a gun in his hand. Hope they didn't have any bad intentions on using that gun.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:00:04 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Eight people were fatally shot throughout Chicago last week.

Three of the murders happened over the weekend, when 11 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Ladarius Edwards was shot on a sidewalk in the 8000 block of South Fairfield Avenue about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Edwards, of the 2500 block of West 79th Street, was shot in the head and died less than an hour later at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Another man was wounded but survived, police said.

On Friday, pPolice found 24-year-old Jeffrey Daniels shot in the head inside a vehicle in the 200 block of North Mason Avenue in the Austin neighborhood about 11:30 p.m., authorities said.

Daniels, 24, of 1400 block of West Taylor Street, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Hyde Park neighborhood, 25-year-old Paris D. Walker-Rush accidentally shot David Kennedy in the head an apartment the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue about 9 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Kennedy, 24, of the 3700 block of South Wood Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.

Walker-Rush, of the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said.

On Wednesday, 25-year-old Krystal T. Jackson was shot while inside a vehicle in the 6800 block of South Loomis Boulevard in West Englewood about 6:25 p.m., authorities said.

Jackson, 25, of the 7700 block of South Saginaw Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at the hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Two other people were wounded but survived.

In the Humboldt Park neighborhood, 23-year-old Tyris T. Ferguson was shot while inside a vehicle in the 700 block of North St. Louis Avenue about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Ferguson, 23, of the 800 block of North St. Louis Avenue, was shot multiple times and died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said. Three other people were wounded but survived.

On Tuesday, police found 21-year-old Derick D. Coopwood shot multiple times in the 700 block of North Spaulding Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood about 7:05 a.m., authorities said.

Coopwood, of the 700 block of North Christiana Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Monday, 31-year-old Larry Thomas was shot in the neck and police found him on a sidewalk in the 7500 block of South Union Avenue in Englewood about 11:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Thomas, of an unidentified home address, died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 30-year-old Robert Leverett was shot in the head in the 7200 block of South Carpenter Street in Englewood about 7 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Leverett, of the 1200 block of West 72nd Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 400 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 14 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Paris Walker-Rush charged in Hyde Park shooting death of David Kennedy

Michael Lansu — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 12:13:07 -0600

Paris Walker-Rush / Photo from Chicago Police

BY JORDAN OWEN
Sun-Times Media

Paris D. Walker-Rush has been charged with accidentally shooting David Kennedy to death in a Hyde Park apartment Friday night, authorities said.

Emergency personnel found Kennedy shot in the head in the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue about 9 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Kennedy, 24, of the 3700 block of South Wood Street, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy confirmed Kennedy died from a gunshot wound to the head, and the death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.

Walker-Rush, 25, was arrested without incident immediately after the shooting and charged with involuntary manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said.

A police source said the men were playing with the gun and the death appears accidental.

Walker-Rush, of the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue, is expected to appear in court Saturday for a bond hearing.