Alfred Mitchell Jr. | Homicide Watch Chicagohttp://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/alfred-mitchell-jr/Latest news about Alfred Mitchell Jr.en-usSun, 20 Aug 2017 10:27:50 -0500WEEK IN REVIEW: 17 die from violence, 7 on Sunday, 2 on front steps of church as services beginhttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2017/08/20/week-in-review-17-die-from-violence-7-on-sunday-2-on-front-steps-of-church-as-services-begin/<p>By JEFF MAYES<br /> Homicide Watch Chicago</p> <p>Another 17 people died from violence in Chicago the week of August 7-13, including seven killed on a bloody Sunday that included a triple homicide and a double homicide, one of which is being investigated as a case of self-defense and the other occurring on the front steps of a church as services were getting under way.<br /> <img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew-300x200.jpg" alt="Sun-Times file photo by Ashlee Rezin" width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-26292" srcset="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew-300x200.jpg 300w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew-768x512.jpg 768w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew-500x333.jpg 500w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew-800x534.jpg 800w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/06/PoliceTapeNew.jpg 1297w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Sun-Times file photo by Ashlee Rezin</p><br /> <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/celeste-cockriel/">Celeste “CeCe” Cockriel</a> and her cousins, <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/narcisco-j-ledesma/">Narcisco “Kiko” Ledesma</a> and <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/antonio-j-lopez/">Antonio “AJ” Lopez</a>, were fatally shot at a home in the East Side neighborhood on the Far South Side Sunday. The homeowner who shot them claims they were breaking in and the shootings were in self-defense. Detectives initially questioned that man to confirm the story, but released him without charges on Wednesday, according to Chicago Police.</p> <p>A police source said the 31-year-old, who has a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card, claimed he shot the three after they broke into his home. Area South detectives continue to investigate the shootings, which were ruled homicides.</p> <p>Ledesma, 22, of North Austin; Lopez, 17, of East Chicago, Ind.; and Cockriel, 24, of Humboldt Park, all suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the body at 5:30 p.m. in the 10200 block of South Ewing, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.</p> <p>About six hours earlier, two men were killed in a shooting outside a church in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side.<a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/emmanuel-fleming/"> Emmanuel Fleming</a>, 34, and <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/michael-swift/">Michael Swift</a>, 46, were walking up the front steps of Friendship Baptist Church when they were gunned down in broad daylight, with Fleming’s young children watching.</p> <p>The shots struck the 34-year-old Fleming, and 46-year-old Swift just outside the church in the 200 block of South Laramie at 11:19 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Inside, the congregation was singing a hymn. Outside, two people wearing bandannas walked up and fired shots, apparently at Fleming, police said.</p> <p>Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies, and died shortly afterwards at hospitals, authorities said. The shooters then drove away southbound in a silver or gray SUV. Fleming’s three children, all under the age of 10, ran into the church and were not hurt.</p> <p>In other shootings last week:</p> <ul> <li>A woman was shot to death early Sunday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. Officers responded to a call of shots fired at 12:24 a.m. and found 27-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/demica-porter/">Demica Porter</a> lying on the sidewalk in the 1400 block of West 54th Street, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Porter had been shot in the neck and legs, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she died less than an hour later. She lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.</li> <li>A man was shot to death Sunday morning in the Uptown neighborhood on the North Side. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/levon-s-averhart-jr/">Levon S. Averhart Jr.</a>, 23, was in the 1000 block of West Montrose at 6:52 a.m. when a black vehicle approached and someone wearing a black hooded sweatshirt exited the vehicle and opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Averhart suffered two gunshot wounds to the torso, and was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died an hour later, authorities said. He lived in Englewood.</li> <li>A 31-year-old man died Saturday of gunshot wounds he suffered in a Back of the Yards shooting on the Southwest Side a week before. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/andres-g-davila/">Andres G. Davila</a> was riding in a vehicle at 5:44 a.m. Aug. 5 in the 2200 block of West 51st Street when someone outside the vehicle opened fire, striking him in the head and neck and damaging a rear window, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The driver of the vehicle then took Davila to Holy Cross Hospital, and he was later transferred to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 11:02 p.m. Aug. 12, authorities said. Davila lived a few blocks away from the shooting in the Gage Park neighborhood.</li> <li>A man was stabbed to death during a fight Saturday night in the Douglas Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side. About 9:10 p.m, 29-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jesus-bernabe/">Jesus Bernabe </a>was sitting with several other people in an alley in the 2600 block of West 15th Street when he got into a fight with another male, who pulled out a knife and stabbed Bernabe in the chest and neck, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The attacker then ran away. Bernabe was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead half an hour later, authorities said.</li> <li>A woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds early Saturday in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side. Officers responding to a call of a person down at 4:24 a.m. found 44-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/latikiya-k-mcneely/">Latikiya K. Mcneely</a> with a stab wound to the chest and two to the back in the 7000 block of South Emerald, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. She was pronounced dead at the scene.</li> <li>An 86-year-old man was found shot to death Thursday afternoon in his South Side Canaryville neighborhood home. His daughter found <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/donald-l-mcnamara/">Donald "Donnie Mac" McNamara</a>, 86, bleeding from his head just after 4 p.m. in the 4100 block of South Wallace, according to authorities. When paramedics arrived, they found a puncture wound to the back of his head. McNamara was taken to Northwestern Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:31 p.m., according to police and the examiner’s office. An autopsy Friday found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a homicide.</li> <li>A Vernon Hills man was shot to death during an attempted carjacking early Thursday in the Noble Square neighborhood. About 2:05 a.m., 28-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jesus-angel-de-la-o/">Jesus Angel De La O</a> was dropping off a female acquaintance in the 1200 block of North Greenview when another male exited a white vehicle nearby and attempted to carjack the victim, according to police. He refused to give up his vehicle, a gray Infiniti, and the suspect fired shots, striking him in the torso, police said. He tried to drive away, but crashed into a parked Nissan. He was pronounced dead at the scene.</li> <li>A man was killed and another critically wounded in a shooting Wednesday night in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. About 8:30 p.m., they were standing on the sidewalk in the 6000 block South Maplewood when someone in a dark SUV drove by and fired shots, according to police. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/jonathan-d-brown/">Jonathan D. Brown</a>, 25, was shot in the chest and arm, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived in Englewood. A 23-year-old man was struck in his left arm and abdomen, and was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.</li> <li>A man was killed in an Austin neighborhood shooting Wednesday afternoon on the West Side. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/thaddeus-dean/">Thaddeus Dean</a>, 26, was standing outside about 3 p.m. on the sidewalk in the 100 block of South Lockwood when someone in a passing vehicle fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Dean suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead half an hour later. He lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.</li> <li>A man was shot to death while walking home from his job at a popular West Town bakery early Wednesday. About 2:24 a.m., 49-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/aristeo-soriano/">Aristeo Soriano Pastrana</a> was walking in the 1300 block of West Huron, according to police. Family members said he was returning home from D’Amato 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. Police said the victim, known to friends as “Pacuale,” was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy showed he he died of a gunshot wound to the back.</li> <li>A man was killed and six people, five of whom were women, were wounded in a shooting Tuesday night in the South Side Bronzeville neighborhood. The victims were standing on the sidewalk at 10:37 p.m. in the first block of East 37th Street when a group of males walked up and fired shots from the corner of the block, according to police. <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/alfred-mitchell-jr/">Alfred Mitchell Jr.</a>, 28, was shot in the back and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He lived in the Fuller Park neighborhood on the South Side. <p>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. All of their conditions were stabilized. A seventh victim, a 30-year-old man, suffered gunshot wounds to the right leg and later showed up at Northwestern, police said. His condition was also stabilized.</li> <li>A man died Monday afternoon, one year after he was wounded in a domestic shooting in the Northwest Side Logan Square neighborhood. Samantha Santiago, 29, was charged July 25 with one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of 36-year-old <a href="http://homicides.suntimes.com/victims/latavus-mccullough/">Lavatus McCullough</a>, according to 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. The Near North Side resident 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. Police said the shooting happened during a domestic dispute. Santiago, who lived on the same block as the shooting, is being held at the Cook County Jail on a $950,000 bond.</li> </ul> Jeff MayesSun, 20 Aug 2017 10:27:50 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2017/08/20/week-in-review-17-die-from-violence-7-on-sunday-2-on-front-steps-of-church-as-services-begin/Levon S. Averhart Jr.Jesus BernabeJonathan D. BrownAndres G. DavilaThaddeus DeanJesus Angel De La OEmmanuel FlemingAntonio J. LopezLatavus McCulloughDonald L. McNamaraLatikiya K. McneelyAlfred Mitchell Jr.Demica PorterAristeo SorianoMichael SwiftSamantha SantiagoAlfred Mitchell Jr. dies trying to protect kids during shooting that wounds 6 others at Bronzeville BBQhttp://homicides.suntimes.com/2017/08/10/alfred-mitchell-jr-dies-trying-to-protect-kids-during-shooting-that-wounds-6-others-at-bronzeville-bbq/<p><iframe src="http://homicides.suntimes.com/api/v1/homicides/2569.html" width="100%" height="350" frameborder=0></iframe></p> <p>By RACHEL HINTON and LUKE WILUSZ<br /> Chicago Sun-Times<br /> <img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial-300x198.jpg" alt="Rest in Peace Memorial for Alfred Mitchell, Jr. at 37th Place and Michigan. Mitchell was killed Tuesday night. | Leslie Adkins/For the Sun-Times" width="300" height="198" class="size-medium wp-image-27884" srcset="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial-300x198.jpg 300w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial-768x507.jpg 768w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial-500x330.jpg 500w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial-800x528.jpg 800w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/memorial.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Rest in Peace Memorial for Alfred Mitchell, Jr. at 37th Place and Michigan. Mitchell was killed Tuesday night. | Leslie Adkins/For the Sun-Times</p><br /> 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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>Six others, ranging in age from 21 to 46, were wounded.</p> <p>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.<br /> <span id="more-27879"></span><br /> <img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops-300x200.jpg" alt="Chicago Police investigate near East 37th Street and South Michigan Avenue, where one man was killed and five women were wounded in a shooting Tuesday night, Aug. 8, 2017. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times" width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-27885" srcset="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops-300x200.jpg 300w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops-768x512.jpg 768w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops-500x333.jpg 500w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops-800x534.jpg 800w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/cops.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Chicago Police investigate near East 37th Street and South Michigan Avenue, where one man was killed and five women were wounded in a shooting Tuesday night, Aug. 8, 2017. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times</p></p> <p>“People were just outside kicking it,” said Mitchell’s cousin, who asked to remain anonymous. “He was just out here barbecuing when it happened.”</p> <p>The cousin described Mitchell as a “cool” person who shielded children attending the barbecue from the hail of bullets.</p> <p>“If there’s one thing I want people to know about him, it’s that he died protecting the kids,” Mitchell’s cousin said. “There were a lot of kids out there and he died protecting them.”</p> <p>Mitchell lived in the Fuller Park neighborhood on the South Side.<br /> <img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/victim.jpg" alt="Alfred Mitchell Jr. | family photo" width="226" height="217" class="size-full wp-image-27887" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Alfred Mitchell Jr. | family photo</p><br /> The block where Mitchell died Tuesday is usually quiet, neighbors said. That’s why Marvin Edmond, who lives nearby South Wabash Avenue, was surprised to hear what he said were 15 shots. </p> <p>“When I went out there, I saw a lady on the sidewalk and others in the yard,” Edmond said. “It’s usually pretty quiet around here and that’s why it surprised me. Everybody knows everybody.”</p> <p>Floyd Atkins, who grew up in the neighborhood, said he’s praying for Mitchell’s family.</p> <p>“I grew up in the neighborhood, and I’ve seen it go through a lot of changes,” said Atkins, 60. “We’ve got to get a handle on the guns. We’ve got to cut down.”<br /> <img src="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/rowhouses-300x187.jpg" alt="The block of 37th Place and Michigan was the scene of the killing of Alfred Mitchell, Jr. Tuesday night. | Leslie Adkins/For the Sun-Times" width="300" height="187" class="size-medium wp-image-27886" srcset="http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/rowhouses-300x187.jpg 300w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/rowhouses-500x311.jpg 500w, http://wordpress.homicidewatch.org/chicago/files/2017/08/rowhouses.jpg 763w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p class="wp-caption-text">The block of 37th Place and Michigan was the scene of the killing of Alfred Mitchell, Jr. Tuesday night. | Leslie Adkins/For the Sun-Times</p><br /> Area Central detectives are still investigating the shooting and have two potential leads, but no one is in custody, said Brandi Wright, a police spokeswoman.</p> <p>Police are looking into whether a 20-year-old man at the barbecue, who has a history with police and was wounded in a 2011 shooting, was the intended target, Wright said.</p> <p>Investigators are also trying to determine whether an earlier verbal dispute in a nearby park led to the shooting.</p> Jeff MayesThu, 10 Aug 2017 09:47:29 -0500http://homicides.suntimes.com/2017/08/10/alfred-mitchell-jr-dies-trying-to-protect-kids-during-shooting-that-wounds-6-others-at-bronzeville-bbq/Alfred Mitchell Jr.