Cops probe Chicago shooting death’s connection to Evanston cases

John Carpenter — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:13:35 -0500

Chicago police and Evanston investigators are cooperating in their investigation of the weekend shooting of a 20-year-old Evanston man whose name has come up in the continuing violence in Evanston, Evanston police confirmed Tuesday, May 14.

Blake Ross, of the 2300 block of Greenwood Street, was found shot in the head and body near early Sunday 2861 E. 76th St., near Rainbow Beach Park. on Chicago’s South Side, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:55 a.m., a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office said Tuesday.

The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, the spokesperson said.

Evanston police believe Ross was an intended victim in recent gunplay in the area of Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, 1655 Foster St. Police have responded to several calls of shots fired around the community center in recent weeks, Pioneer Press is reporting.

Police said they questioned several individuals believed involved in the incidents, but those who were stopped were not forthcoming with information and no victims came forward.

Police have deployed extra resources to the area as a result of the shots fired incidents.

Police have attributed the ongoing violence – which resulted in a series of shootings which occurred late last year – to an ongoing feud between warring families and individuals with overtones of gang involvement.

Justin Murray, 19, was fatally shot Nov. 29 of last year, as he stood outside his grandmother’s house on the 1800 block of Brown St.

That shooting was followed by the fatal shooting of Javar Bamberg, 23, whose body was found Dec. 12 in an alley of the 1700 block of Grey Ave.

Alderman Delores Holmes, in whose Fifth Ward Fleetwood-Jourdain is located, has called a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Fleetwood-Jourdain, where city officials are expected to address the recent violence.

Blake Ross | Homicide Watch Chicago

Cops probe Chicago shooting death’s connection to Evanston cases