Andre Knight | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: Courtney Watson fatally shot his mother's boyfriend, Andre Knight, outside their Austin home

Michael Lansu — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 09:52:40 -0500

Courtney Watson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Courtney Watson was ordered held without bond Wednesday for allegedly shooting his mother's longtime boyfriend last month in their Austin neighborhood home.

Watson, 31, is accused of fatally shooting 46-year-old Andre Knight behind their home in the 4800 block of West Concord Place about 4 a.m. June 23, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Knight had been dating Watson's mother for about 15 years, and the three lived together in the Austin home.

Knight became suspicious that Watson stole his identity, and the two had an ongoing dispute, prosecutors said.

Just before the shooting, Knight left his home to go to his newspaper delivery job, but when his car parked on the street didn’t start he went to a car in the garage and was shot moments later, family and neighbors said. His girlfriend heard a gunshot and saw her son run into the home, prosecutors said.

Responding officers found Knight dead in his car with a gunshot wound to the head, prosecutors said. The revolver used in the shooting was found inside a bag in the garage.

Knight was declared dead at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Watson initially told police a gunman entered the garage, shot Knight in the head, dropped the gun and ran away. Watson said he panicked and hid the gun in the garage, prosecutors said.

Watson later changed his story and said he wanted to kill himself and Knight tried taking the gun from him, and the shooting happened during a struggle, prosecutors said.

After the shooting, Watson immediately washed his clothes and told police "that is how [he] deals with stress," prosecutors said.

After initially being interviewed, Watson complained of pains and attempted to stab a paramedic with scissors en route to the hospital, prosecutors said. He also hit and kicked the paramedic and a detective in the ambulance, prosecutors said. He was charged with aggravated battery to a police officer and paramedic and held on $100,000 bond.

He was also sentenced to probation for a 2011 burglary case.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight murdered throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:01:15 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Eight people were murdered throughout Chicago last week, including three people in their 50s.

The slayings included shootings, a stabbing and a woman intentionally struck by a vehicle.

While at least 36 people were shot over the weekend, the only fatality happened when 42-year-old Ronnie Amos was found shot in the 3600 block of West Chicago Avenue about 8:55 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Amos, who lived on the block, died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Friday, 23-year-old Darius M. Smith allegedly stabbed 28-year-old Tony Ervin during a fight at Ervin's home in the 6000 block of South Sacramento Avenue in the Chicago Lawn community about 10:30 p.m., authorities said.

Ervin, 28, died less than an hour later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Smith, of the 6300 block of South Albany Avenue, was charged with first-degree murder, police said.

On Thursday, 56-year-old Albert Glover was in the 100 block of North Leamington Avenue in Austin when a vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired shots about 1:35 p.m., authorities said.

Glover, who lived on the block, was shot in the back and left leg, authorities said. He died a short time at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the River West neighborhood, 34-year-old Sonny Ortiz was shot while inside a parked vehicle then attempted to drive away, authorities said. He crashed into a parked vehicle and light pole in the nearby 1200 block of West Chicago Avenue about 12:20 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Ortiz, of the 3600 block of North Austin Avenue, died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

On Wednesday, 54-year-old Eddie Jones had just gotten out of a car to talk with another person in the 6500 block of South Sangamon in Englewood when a gunman walked out of a nearby gangway and opened fire about 10:50 p.m., authorities said.

Jones was shot in the head and died at the scene, authorities said. His home address was not immediately available.

On Tuesday, 54-year-old Sharon Bonds was intentionally struck by a vehicle in the 9100 block of South Euclid Avenue about 5:30 a.m., authorities said.

Bonds, of the 8800 block of South Oglesby Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy determined she died of multiple injuries from being struck by the vehicle and the death was ruled a homicide.

On Monday, 40-year-old Alfred Barnett was shot in the groin area in the 6900 block of South Laflin Street about 5 p.m., authorities said. He also went by the name Kenneth Martin.

Barnett, of the 7200 block of South Rockwell Street, died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 9:42 p.m. Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings began when 46-year-old Andre Knight was shot in the back of the head in an alley behind his home in the 4800 block of West Concord Place about 4 a.m. Monday, authorities said. Knight died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 187 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.

Comment of the Day: "Knight just texted me Sunday evening and he gone Monday morning"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 16:00:15 -0500

Andre Knight, 46, was shot early Monday in an alley near his Austin neighborhood home. Reader "Jim lemons" posted this about him:

My dude big Knight just texted me Sunday evening and he gone Monday morning (what a horrible act of violence) to a true Good life long friend of mine . RIP ANDRE KNIGHT HOYA #7 I hope they find out the truth cause this doesn't make sense

Andre Knight, 46, shot dead in Austin alley

Michael Lansu — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:12:53 -0500

Andre Knight was fatally shot early Monday in the Austin community.

Police found Knight, 46, in an alley in the 4800 block of West Concord Place about 4 a.m., authorities said. He had been shot once in the back of the head, police said.

Knight, who lived on the block, was declared dead at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.