Camerion Blair | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "He had the potential to go far and it is in disbelief to know that he died senselessly"

Michael Lansu — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 16:02:53 -0500

Camerion Blair was fatally shot Sept. 30 in the South Shore neighborhood. Reader "Ms. Alexander" posted this about him.

I taught Camerion two years ago and he was highly intelligent and very smart. It saddens me that he was not able to fulfill his goals and dreams! He had the potential to go far and it is in disbelief to know that he died senselessly. My heart goes out to the family

Prosecutors: Dahvie Holmes gave gun to man who fatally shot 16-year-old Camerion Blair

Michael Lansu — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 15:14:30 -0500

Dahvie Holmes / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

A second man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of 16-year-old Camerion Blair last week in the South Shore neighborhood.

Assistant State's Attorney Alex Molesky said Dahvie Holmes and Robert Smith went to the 2600 block of East 73rd Street to shoot rival gang members about 5:50 p.m. Sept. 30.

Holmes and Smith approached Blair as he talked with another person outside of a building, Molesky said. Smith allegedly fired five shots at Camerion, a purported rival gang member.

Holmes pointed a gun at Camerion and later at the building while the pair fled towards a bus stop, where they boarded a CTA bus, Molesky said.

Camerion, of the 7300 block of South Shore Drive, was shot three times and died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Camerion's aunt, Lolita Blair, said the teenager was on his way to return a video game when he was shot.

“Camerion gave me a kiss before he left,” Lolita Blair said. “He said ‘Titi, I’ll be right back,’ and fifteen minutes later a close neighbor knocked on my door and told me he was shot.”

Video surveillance shows Holmes and Smith in front of the building and running towards the bus, Molesky said.

After the shooting, Smith gave the gun to Holmes, Molesky said. Police executing an unrelated search warrant at Smith's home found five spent .380 shell casings and one live round.

One bullet was recovered from Blair's clothing and another was found in a car down the block, Molesky said.

Robert Smith / Photo from Chicago Police

Holmes was positively identified in photos as the person who gave Smith the gun and pointed the gun at Camerion, Molesky said.

Holmes, 20, of the 7600 block of South Shore Drive, and Smith, 21, of the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue, were each charged with first-degree murder, police said.

On Wednesday, Judge Laura Sullivan ordered Holmes ordered without bond. Smith appeared in court Saturday and is also being held without bond.

-- Contributing: Rummana Hussain and Kenny Nguyen

Family: Camerion Blair, 16, shot dead returning video game

Michael Lansu — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:34:46 -0500

Camerion Blair / Submitted photo

BY KENNY NGUYEN
Homicide Watch Chicago

Camerion Blair was just 5-feet tall, but his small stature didn't stop him from dreaming of playing in the NBA, family said.

“He loved basketball and Derrick Rose,” said Camerion’s aunt, Lolita Blair. “He loved Derrick Rose so much that I told him I was going to kidnap Derrick and bring him to Camerion."

Camerion, 16, won't be able to watch Rose's 2014 return to the hardwood after the teenager was fatally shot Sept. 30 in the 2600 block of East 73rd Street in the South Shore neighborhood, authorities said.

Lolita Blair said Camerion was on his way to return a video game when he was shot multiple times.

“Camerion gave me a kiss before he left,” Lolita Blair said. “He said ‘Titi, I’ll be right back,' and fifteen minutes later a close neighbor knocked on my door and told me he was shot.”

Camerion was raised by his grandmother, Sharon Blair, and was a senior at Hyde Park High School, family said.

He was promoted a grade, and his grandmother believed staying away from gangs was part of Camerion's success in his education.

“He was very smart and never failed in school,” said Sharon Blair. “He wanted all A’s, and if he got a B, he would get mad. He was even talking about going to a college in Kentucky to play basketball.”

Besides basketball and video games, Camerion’s family said the teen loved to be “loved.”

“He is a good, loving kid overall,” Lolita Blair said. “He wasn’t a disrespectful kid and didn’t start fights with anyone. He wanted to be loved and accepted. Everyone that met him just fell in love with him.”

Camerion’s family said they will most miss his kisses. Every time Camerion saw his aunt, grandmother or his cousin he would greet them with kisses on the cheek.

“He would kiss his grandma and me. That boy was 16-years-old and he still kissed everyone,” said Lolita Blair. "It’s hard to cope with this. He was 16, but if you looked at him, he looked like he was twelve. He wasn’t like my nephew. He was like my son, He was the baby of the family.”

Camerion Blair / Submitted photo

On Saturday, Robert Smith was ordered held without bond after prosecutors said he fatally shot Camerion.

Smith, 21, of the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue, is charged with first-degree murder, authorities said.

Lolita Blair said getting Smith off the streets is not going to do a thing because the neighborhood is “crime infested” and there’s a shooting everyday.

“Chicago is horrible, it breaks my heart when you’re 21-year-olds and you shot my baby,” said Lolita. “Camerion is never going to experience life again. He will never go to prom, graduate from high school, experience adulthood or have his own family.”

Smith will appear in court Oct. 23.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 10:00:02 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Six people were shot to death throughout Chicago last week.

The most recent killing happened when 20-year-old Hezekiah Harper-Bey was shot while inside a vehicle in the 4400 block of West Van Buren Street in West Garfield Park about 3 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Harper-Bey, 20, who lived on the block, was shot in the face and died about 30 minutes later at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said. Three other men in the car were wounded but survived.

On Friday, 20-year-old Tony McIntosh was outside in the 10600 block of South Yates Avenue in the South Deering neighborhood when someone walked up and shot him in the head about 9:20 p.m., authorities said.

McIntosh, who lived on the block, died less than an hour later at Advocate Trinity Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

McIntosh was smoking cigarettes on the back porch of his family’s home when a gunman walked up and shot him, his aunt Traci Armstrong said.

“It happened right in front of his mother,” said Armstrong, 44. “It doesn’t seem real. Who does that?”

On Thursday, 25-year-old Raymond Murray was found lying in the street in the 7800 block of South Jeffery Boulevard in the South Shore community with a gunshot wound to his chest about 3:20 a.m., authorities said.

Murray, of the 7600 block of North Jeffery Boulevard, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Tuesday, 16-year-old Camerion Blair was shot in the back and buttocks in the 2600 block of East 73rd Street in the South Shore community about 6:10 p.m., authorities said.

Camerion, of the 7300 block of South Shore Drive, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Prosecutors claim Robert Smith, 21, of the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue, shot Blair and Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Smith held without bond Saturday.

In the Humboldt Park community, 25-year-old Shandel Adams was shot in the 600 block of North Ridgeway Avenue early Tuesday, authorities said.

Adams, of the 5400 block of West Van Buren Street, died at Mount Sinai Hospital 4:17 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 25-year-old Stanley L. Macon Jr. was shot in the 900 block of South Lawndale Avenue in the North Lawndale community just before 11 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Macon, of the 2700 block of West Washington Boulevard, was shot several times in the head and died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 330 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 12 people killed by police.

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

Prosecutors: Robert Smith fatally shot 16-year-old rival Camerion Blair in the South Shore community

Michael Lansu — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 22:43:46 -0500

Robert Smith / Photo from Chicago Police

BY LEEANN SHELTON
Chicago Sun-Times

Robert Smith was ordered held without bond Saturday after prosecutors said he fatally shot 16-year-old Camerion Blair Tuesday in the South Shore neighborhood.

Smith, 21, of the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue, is charged with first-degree murder for the Sept. 30, authorities said.

Blair was in the 2600 block of East 73rd Street when he was shot in the back and buttocks about 6:30 p.m., authorities said.

Prosecutors said the two are members of opposing gang factions, and that surveillance video captured Smith and another suspect both approaching and fleeing the scene of the shooting.

Blair, of the 7300 block of South Shore Drive, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Smith was arrested after a search of his home, prosecutors said. He was positively identified in a photo lineup and allegedly admitted to the shooting.

He was ordered held without bond at a hearing Saturday and will next appear in court Oct. 6.

Camerion Blair, 16, shot to death in South Shore community

Michael Lansu — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 12:08:23 -0500

A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot in the South Shore neighborhood Tuesday evening.

Camerion Blair was on a sidewalk in the 2600 block of East 73rd Street when he was shot in the back and buttocks about 6:10 p.m., authorities said.

Blair, of the 7300 block of South Shore Drive, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

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

-- Sun-Times Media Wire