Week in review: At least 16 people killed in violence, seven during bloody 12 hours starting Friday night

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 13:12:20 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 16 people were killed last week in Chicago as the city's homicide total edged closer to the 600 mark, a number not seen in decades.

That number included seven people killed in a bloody 12-hour period starting just before 7 p.m. Friday and ending about 7 a.m.

That deadly 12 hours started when an 18-year-old man was fatally shot in West Garfield Park at 6:49 p.m. Friday. Faizon Smith was in the gangway of a building in the 4500 block of West Maypole when someone fired shots from a sedan and drove away, according to the Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Smith was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Just over an hour later, two men were fatally shot in a drive-by in Austin, police said. About 8 p.m., Jamal Thomas, 18; and Jermale Richardson, 20, were standing by a parked car in the 5500 block of West Congress when a grey sedan pulled up and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
Thomas, who lived on the same block as the shooting, was struck in the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Richardson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was also pronounced dead at Stroger.
Less than 20 minutes later, a man was killed and six others wounded in a shooting in East Garfield Park. At 8:18 p.m., the group was standing together outside in the 3300 block of West Maypole when someone inside a black vehicle driving east on Maypole began shooting.

Three men — ages 26, 27, 34 — took themselves to Mount Sinai hospital in good condition with gunshot wounds to the arms and legs. Jeffrey Brinson, 32, was taken with them, and was pronounced at dead, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

A 31-year-old man was shot in the left arm and a 22-year-old woman was shot in the right foot, police said. Both were taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. A 21-year-old woman suffered a graze wound to the face and was treated, but not taken to a hospital.
Half an hour later, a man was shot to death in the West Rogers Park neighborhood. Trasean Stokes, 26, was outside at 8:55 p.m. in the 6000 block of North Talman when a group of people walked up and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Stokes was shot in the chest, and was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
The shooting continued all night, and a 26-year-old man was killed in a Woodlawn neighborhood drive-by shooting early Saturday. Davon P. Smith was outside in the 6100 block of South Rhodes about 4:25 a.m. when a vehicle pulled up and someone fired shots, hitting him in the neck, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds.
The 12-hour spree ended when a west suburban man was fatally shot Saturday morning in Little Village. Officers responding to reports of shots fired about 7 a.m. in the 2600 block of West 23rd found 26-year-old Vincent Zarco unresponsive with a gunshot wound, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Zarco, who lived in Berwyn, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers saw a vehicle drive away from the scene, police said. When they attempted to pull it over, someone threw a gun out the window. The two people inside the vehicle were taken into custody and questioned, but were later released without being charged, police said.
The week's final homicide was an 18-year-old man was fatally shot in Marquette Park on Sunday evening. Officers responding to a call of a person shot in the 2500 block of West 68th Street at 6:09 p.m. found Latwon A. Rogers at the mouth of an alley, with a gunshot wound to the head and multiple gunshot wounds to the body, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Rogers, of the 5800 block of South Campbell Avenue, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
A man was found stabbed to death Saturday evening in his Oakland neighborhood home. Sometime between 4:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., 62-year-old Gene Williams was stabbed inside his apartment in the 3600 block of South Lake Park Avenue, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. A friend discovered Williams unresponsive and reported it to police. He had been stabbed in the abdomen and also suffered trauma to his head, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Earlier in the week, a 22-year-old man was shot to death Thursday night in West Englewood. About 10 p.m., Devante Norwood was standing in the parking lot of a gas station in the 7000 block of South Ashland when someone walked up and shot him twice in the head before taking off in a black SUV, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Norwood was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the Lawndale neighborhood about the same time Thursday. Aaron Jackson was on a sidewalk in the 1500 block of South Komensky when someone in a dark-colored minivan opened fire, hitting him in the abdomen, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Jackson was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 90 minutes later.
A 29-year-old man also died Thursday, two weeks after being shot in Little Village. On Oct. 1 at 7:18 a.m., Tony Hussaini, 29, was standing on the street in the 2500 block of South Sacramento, talking to a 30-year-old woman who was inside a vehicle, according to police.
A second vehicle pulled up and someone inside fired shots. Hussaini and the woman took themselves to Mount Sinai Hospital, both with gunshot wounds to the chest and arm, police said. They were both initially listed in critical condition. Hussaini was pronounced dead 3:25 a.m. Oct. 13, and an autopsy showed he died of complications from the gunshot wounds.
Aaron M. Smith was shot to death Wednesday night in South Shore. Smith, 36, was standing on the street at 11:10 p.m. in the 7400 block of South Chappel when he heard shots and realized he’d been struck, according to police and the medical examiner's office. He suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and groin, and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A man was shot to death Tuesday evening in Belmont Gardens. At 6:09 p.m., 20-year-old Carlos Ocampo was outside in the 2500 block of North Kostner when someone got out of a parked vehicle and opened fire before running away, according to police. Ocampo was shot in the torso and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.
In retaliation for a gang beating, a 15-year-old boy riding in an SUV fatally shot 20-year-old Carlos Ocampo on his bicycle on a Northwest Side street, then got out and repeatedly shot him as he lay on the ground, prosecutors said Friday.

On Friday, prosecutors chaerged 18-year-old Elizabeth Diaz with murder for allegedly driving the shooter to kill Ocampo, while the 15-year-old shooter has been charged as a juvenile for shooting Ocampo.

Prosecutors said Diaz wasn't happy when she learned her younger brother had been beaten up by some Latin Cobras who believed he was in a rival gang. So Diaz and several others, including the gunman, piled in her black Ford Expedition, seeking revenge, prosecutors said.
One man was killed and another wounded in a shooting earlier Tuesday in Austin. The men, ages 24 and 36, were in a vehicle at 12:06 a.m. traveling in the 1800 block of North Laramie when someone in another vehicle fired shots at them, according to police. The victims’ vehicle then struck a building.
The younger man, Lyndell Hodges, was shot in the left side of his buttocks and left hand, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner’s office and police. The older man suffered a graze wound to the head and was taken to West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, where his condition was stabilized.
One man was killed and another wounded Monday afternoon in an Englewood shooting. The two were sitting in a car about 3:30 p.m. in the 7000 block of South Sangamon when another vehicle drove by and someone inside opened fire, according to police.
Maurice L. Hilliard, 25, was taken to St. Bernard Hospital and later transferred to Stroger Hospital, where he died of a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the medical examiner’s office. The other man, 20, was in good condition at St. Bernard with an arm wound.

Prosecutors: Woman urged 15-year-old to kill Carlos Ocampo in retaliation for her younger brother's beating

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 17:33:03 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Elizabeth Diaz | Chicago Police

In retaliation for a gang beating, a 15-year-old boy riding in an SUV fatally shot 20-year-old Carlos Ocampo on his bicycle on a Northwest Side street, then got out and repeatedly shot him as he lay on the ground, prosecutors said Friday.

The details emerged Friday in Cook County bond court where a judge set a $1 million bond for 18-year-old Elizabeth Diaz, who is charged with murder because she allegedly drove the shooter to Kelvyn Park on Tuesday to kill the gang member, prosecutors said. The 15-year-old shooter has been charged as a juvenile for shooting Ocampo.

Earlier in the day, Diaz wasn't happy when she learned her younger brother had been beaten up by some Latin Cobras who believed he was in a rival gang, prosecutors said.

So Diaz and several others, including the gunman, piled in her black Ford Expedition, seeking revenge, prosecutors said.

Carlos Ocampo | Facebook

After the shooting, the SUV stalled nearby in the 2500 block of North Kostner, so Diaz and the others ran away, including the gunman, prosecutors said.

Diaz later reported her car stolen and when she was contacted by police, admitted to being at the shooting, Assistant State's Attorney Bryan Grissman said. She later allegedly confessed to picking up the shooter and knowing he had a gun.

A witness also told police Diaz had said the group was going to the park to kill the Cobras that beat up her brother, Grissman said.

Diaz's younger brother, 15, thought he was targeted by the Latin Cobras because they believed he was in the Latin Boys, Grissman said. To verify who beat him, Diaz and another brother, 17, looked at photos on Facebook.

Diaz then picked up some friends. Prosecutors said Diaz encouraged the boy to bring a gun and picked him up in the SUV.

The young gunman, who was in the front-passenger seat, started shouting at Ocampo, and Ocampo shouted back, Grissman said. Soon, Ocampo rode his bike closer to the SUV and kept yelling, Grissman said.

That's when the boy allegedly pulled out a handgun from his backpack and started shooting.

When police arrived, they found Ocampo in the street and the empty Ford Expedition. They ran the plate and determined it was Diaz's car.

Diaz has no criminal background. She attended Foreman College and Career Academy, received her GED, and works at Northstar Coffee at Addison and Kimball, as assistant public defender said.

Carlos Ocampo fatally shot just blocks from his home in Belmont Gardens

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 09:09:00 -0500

Carlos Ocampo was shot to death Tuesday evening, about three blocks from his home in the Northwest Side Belmont Gardens neighborhood.

At 6:09 p.m., the 20-year-old was outside in the 2500 block of North Kostner when someone got out of a parked vehicle and opened fire before running away, according to Chicago Police.

Ocampo was shot in the torso and was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:23 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He lived in the 4700 block of West Parker.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Carlos Ocampo | Homicide Watch Chicago

Week in review: At least 16 people killed in violence, seven during bloody 12 hours starting Friday night

Prosecutors: Woman urged 15-year-old to kill Carlos Ocampo in retaliation for her younger brother's beating

Carlos Ocampo fatally shot just blocks from his home in Belmont Gardens