Rasheed Martin | Homicide Watch Chicago

Second alleged gang member charged with fatal shooting of 7-year-old Amari Brown last July 4 in Humboldt Park

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 15:22:26 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Jamal Joiner | Chicago Police

A purported gang member already awaiting trial for another murder has been charged in the deadly shooting that claimed the life of 7-year-old Amari Brown last July 4th weekend.

Amari was killed after watching fireworks with his father on the sidewalk shortly before midnight in Humboldt Park in the 1100 block of North Harding.

Jamal Joiner told someone that he and Rasheed Martin–-members of the Black Flag faction of the Four Corner Hustlers–-were aiming at a rival when a bullet pierced Amari’s chest, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Jamie Santini told Judge Peggy Chiampas on Thursday.

The gang members had been feuding for several months, and had had shootouts earlier that day, as well as on April 17, 2015, and May 23, 2015, Santini said.

Joiner is currently being held without bond in Cook County Jail for a murder charge stemming from the April 17, 2015 incident.

Amari Brown | photo provided

Joiner admitted to his friend that he and Martin fired their guns on July 4th because a rival had shot at them earlier, and he knew that Amari had been hit, Santini said.

Just days after Amari was killed, Joiner was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder for the April 17 shooting that left 36-year-old Courtney Jackson dead in Humboldt Park, police said at the time.

Police said Jackson and a 35-year-old man were in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield about 10:50 p.m. when Joiner walked up with a handgun and fired several shots in their direction before running away.

Jackson, shot in the chest, died hours later at a hospital. The other man was struck in the neck, but survived.

Martin was arrested for Amari’s murder last summer after he fled to Wisconsin. The 21-year-old is also being held without bond.

A 27-year-old woman was also shot in the chest on July 4, but survived, Santini said. A man in his 20s was also injured, prosecutors said last year.

Rasheed Martin | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Witnesses saw Joiner and Martin firing their weapons before running from the scene, Santini said.

After Martin was arrested, he allegedly implicated himself and Joiner.

Chiampas ordered Joiner, 21, held without bond for Amari’s murder.

In the other case Joiner is charged with, 36-year-old Courtney Jackson was shot in the head while in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield.

Another man was also injured when, prosecutors said, Joiner walked up to them and starting shooting. That man survived.

Joiner also has convictions for robbery and drug offenses.

Man charged with shooting 7-year-old Amari Brown to appear in court Wednesday

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 10:46:15 -0500

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Rasheed Martin | Douglas County sheriff's office

The man charged with fatally shooting 7-year-old Amari Brown over the July 4th weekend has been extradited to Chicago and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Rasheed Martin, 20, was arrested at the Bartley Manor Complex at 3900 Tower Ave. in Superior, Wis., on July 22, according to a statement from the Douglas County sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s police and the U.S. Marshal Service made the arrest.

Superior is located just over the state line from Duluth, Minn., about 460 miles from Chicago.

Amari Brown

Martin is charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the gang-related shooting that killed the 7-year-old and wounded a 26-year-old woman just before midnight July 4 in the 1100 block of North Harding in the Humboldt Park neighborhood.

Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy has said the bullet was meant for Amari’s father Antonio Brown, whom he described as a ranking gang member with 45 previous arrests.

Martin, of the 900 block of North Monticello, has been extradited to Chicago and is scheduled to appear in bond court Wednesday.

Suspect in fatal July 4 shooting of 7-year-old Amari Brown arrested in Wisconsin

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:26:44 -0500

A man suspected in the shooting that killed 7-year-old Amari Brown over the July 4th weekend was arrested in northwest Wisconsin on Wednesday.

Rasheed Martin | Douglas County sheriff's office

Rasheed Martin, 20, was arrested at the Bartley Manor Complex at 3900 Tower Ave. in Superior, Wis., according to a statement from the Douglas County sheriff’s office. Sheriff’s police and the U.S. Marshal Service made the arrest.

Superior is located just over the state line from Duluth, Minn., roughly 460 miles from Chicago.

Martin is wanted in connection with the gang-related shooting that killed the 7-year-old and wounded a 26-year-old woman shortly before midnight July 4 in the 1100 block of North Harding in Humboldt Park.

Martin is being held in the Douglas County Jail pending extradition to Illinois, the sheriff’s office said.

Amari had spent the holiday at home with his mom’s side of the family.

Amari Brown

Police said the boy and the woman were not the intended targets when both were shot just in the chest just before midnight. Amari, who lived in the 500 block of North Drake, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital at 1:56 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Police said investigators believe Amari’s 26-year-old father, suspected of being a gang member, was the intended target of the shooting.

The father was standing on the front porch with Amari’s mother when they heard shots and realized the boy had been struck, police sources said, adding the father is not cooperating with detectives.

Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy later said the bullet was meant for the father, Antonio Brown, whom he described as a ranking gang member with 45 previous arrests.

—Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Sun-Times Wire