Alante Vallejo | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Seven shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 09:00:23 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

At least seven people were murdered throughout Chicago last week -- the city's lowest homicide total in three weeks.

All seven people were killed by gunfire. The deceased were six men and a woman.

The seven killings are the lowest weekly total since five people were killed May 12-18, according to Homicide Watch Chicago data. The next two weeks had 11 and 14 homicides.

The most recent murder happened when 36-year-old Kennyone Pendelton was shot in the chest multiple times in the 4600 block of West Jackson Boulevard about 9:25 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Pendelton, of the 1100 block of North Lawler Avenue, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Washington Park neighborhood, 18-year-old Brian Weekly was shot multiple times in an alley in the 5600 block of South Wabash Avenue about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, authorities said. A 20-year-old man was also wounded but survived.

Weekly, of the 1400 block of West 79th Street, died at the scene, according to the examiner’s office.

On Friday, 22-year-old Carnesha Fort was shot in the 100 block of North Keeler Avenue about 10:45 p.m., authorities said. Fort, who lived on the block, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In Rogers Park, 18-year-old Alante Vallejo was shot in the 1900 block of West Howard Street about 1:45 p.m. Friday, authorities said. A 20-year-old man was also wounded but survived.

Vallejo, of the 200 block of Ridge Avenue in Evanston, died less than an hour later at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston.

Friend Jodeci Johnson said Vallejo had recently graduated from Evanston Township High School and was "planning his future."

On Thursday, 27-year-old Derrick Bowens was standing outside his home in the 7000 block of South Morgan Street when when a black car pulled up and a passenger in the rear seat shot him in the abdomen about 9:50 a.m., authorities said.

Bowens died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn hours later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Wednesday, 18-year-old Ronald Holliman was shot in the 4900 block of West West End Avenue about 5 p.m., authorities said. Two other men were wounded but survived.

Holliman, of the 5200 block of West Race Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Tuesday, Jerome Lofton fatally shot 21-year-old Darrien Jordan during an argument in the 3900 block of West Grenshaw Street, prosecutors said. Lofton, 32, of the 3700 block of West Polk Street, allegedly grabbed a gun from a vehicle and shot Jordan in the chest about 1:30 p.m.

Jordan, 21, who lived on the block, died hours later at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner's office.

Additionally, 25-year-old David M. Hernandez, of the 6000 block of South Lorel Avenue, died Monday from wounds suffered in a drive-by Sunday evening shooting in the 900 block of West 32nd Street in the Bridgeport neighborhood, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 165 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including seven people killed by police.

Additionally, the state’s attorney’s office filed first-degree murder charges against a speeding motorist who killed an off-duty police officer while trying to flee police even though the autopsy ruled the death an accident.

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

Friend: Slain Evanston resident Alante Vallejo was 'planning his future'

Michael Lansu — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 18:12:18 -0500

Alante Vallejo / Photo from Facebook

BY SUSAN DU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Evanston resident Alante Vallejo graduated high school less than a week before he was fatally shot in the Rogers Park neighborhood Friday night.

Vallejo, 18, was shot in the chest about 1:45 p.m. Friday in the 1900 block of West Howard Street, authorities said. A second man, 20, also wounded in the shooting.

Police found Vallejo, of the 200 block of Ridge Avenue in Evanston, lying in the street, authorities said. He died less than an hour later.

Area North detectives are investigating if the shooting is gang related, but Vallejo's friend said the Evanston Township High School graduate “ain’t that type of guy.”

Jodeci Johnson, 18, met Vallejo through a mutual acquaintance, and the two quickly became friends. The pair played video games and pickup basketball, ate at Jamaican restaurants and gave each other advice about girls.

Vallejo grew up in Evanston, where his parents and sister still live, Johnson said. He was a Bulls fan with a generous wit that made people laugh.

“He’s a mellow person, very cool, respectful, a person who’s cool to hang around with and talk to,” Johnson said. “He was like a brother.”

Vallejo mostly kept to himself and was good at keeping his cool, Johnson said. He preferred small groups to large crowds so he could prioritize the needs of those closest to him, he said.

Johnson recalled a time when he sought Vallejo’s advice on what to do about an argument with a girlfriend. Vallejo urged Johnson to just relax and let his relationship run its natural course.

“He said that we just had to take some time from each other, that stuff’s all in the air,” Johnson said. “When you come back to the person, you know that’s the person for you. Leave her for a little bit and come back, that should you if she’s the right one or not.”

Vallejo didn’t talk about his religious views, but the rosary tattooed on his chest spoke for itself, Johnson said.

“He kept out of trouble. He was looking out for himself, planning his future when he got out of high school,” he said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Evanston resident Alante Vallejo fatally shot in Rogers Park

Michael Lansu — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 22:31:53 -0500

Alante Vallejo was killed in a Friday afternoon shooting in the Rogers Park neighborhood that left another man wounded.

Officers responding to a call of shots fired found 18-year-old Alante Vallejo lying in the 1900 block of West Howard Street with a gunshot wound to his torso about 1:45 p.m., authorities said.

Vallejo, of the 200 block of Ridge Avenue in Evanston, died at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston at 2:26 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A second man, 20, later walked into NorthShore University HealthSystem Evanston Hospital with a gunshot wound to the foot from the same shooting, police said. He was listed in good condition.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating if the shooting is gang related.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire