Courtney Jackson | Homicide Watch Chicago

Second alleged gang member charged with fatal shooting of 7-year-old Amari Brown last July 4 in Humboldt Park

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 15:22:26 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Jamal Joiner | Chicago Police

A purported gang member already awaiting trial for another murder has been charged in the deadly shooting that claimed the life of 7-year-old Amari Brown last July 4th weekend.

Amari was killed after watching fireworks with his father on the sidewalk shortly before midnight in Humboldt Park in the 1100 block of North Harding.

Jamal Joiner told someone that he and Rasheed Martin–-members of the Black Flag faction of the Four Corner Hustlers–-were aiming at a rival when a bullet pierced Amari’s chest, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Jamie Santini told Judge Peggy Chiampas on Thursday.

The gang members had been feuding for several months, and had had shootouts earlier that day, as well as on April 17, 2015, and May 23, 2015, Santini said.

Joiner is currently being held without bond in Cook County Jail for a murder charge stemming from the April 17, 2015 incident.

Amari Brown | photo provided

Joiner admitted to his friend that he and Martin fired their guns on July 4th because a rival had shot at them earlier, and he knew that Amari had been hit, Santini said.

Just days after Amari was killed, Joiner was arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder for the April 17 shooting that left 36-year-old Courtney Jackson dead in Humboldt Park, police said at the time.

Police said Jackson and a 35-year-old man were in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield about 10:50 p.m. when Joiner walked up with a handgun and fired several shots in their direction before running away.

Jackson, shot in the chest, died hours later at a hospital. The other man was struck in the neck, but survived.

Martin was arrested for Amari’s murder last summer after he fled to Wisconsin. The 21-year-old is also being held without bond.

A 27-year-old woman was also shot in the chest on July 4, but survived, Santini said. A man in his 20s was also injured, prosecutors said last year.

Rasheed Martin | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Witnesses saw Joiner and Martin firing their weapons before running from the scene, Santini said.

After Martin was arrested, he allegedly implicated himself and Joiner.

Chiampas ordered Joiner, 21, held without bond for Amari’s murder.

In the other case Joiner is charged with, 36-year-old Courtney Jackson was shot in the head while in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield.

Another man was also injured when, prosecutors said, Joiner walked up to them and starting shooting. That man survived.

Joiner also has convictions for robbery and drug offenses.

Jamal Joiner charged with fatal shooting of Courtney Jackson in Humboldt Park

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 14:01:33 -0500

A 20-year-old man has been charged with a shooting that left Courtney Jackson dead and another man seriously injured in the West Side Humboldt Park neighborhood earlier this year.

Jamal D. Joiner | Chicago Police

Jamal D. Joiner was charged late Thursday with one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the April 17 shooting that left 36-year-old Jackson dead, according to Chicago Police.

Police said Jackson and another 35-year-old man were in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield about 10:50 p.m. that night when Joiner walked up with a handgun and fired several shots in their direction before running away.

Jackson, of the 1400 block of North Lotus, was shot in the chest; while the other man was struck in the neck. The men were dropped off at Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center at 1:21 a.m. April 18, where Jackson was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Joiner was arrested Tuesday at his home in the 6000 block of South Eberhart Avenue, police said. He was ordered held without bond on Friday.

—Chicago Sun-Times Wire

WEEK IN REVIEW: Seven killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 09:49:51 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Seven people were killed throughout Chicago last week.

The victims included a 58-year-old woman who was found strangled, a 50-year-old restaurant owner and a downstate woman.

Five of the slayings happened over the weekend, when at least 30 others were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killings happened when a 34-year-old woman and man in his 20s were fatally shot while walking in the 2700 block of North Lavergne Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood about 6:30 a.m. Sunday, police said. The Cook County medical examiner's office has not yet released their names.

In the Little Village community, police found 43-year-old Luis A. Perez shot in the head in the 2300 block of South Washtenaw Avenue about 5:20 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Perez, of the 2700 block of West 24th Street, was declared dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Saturday, 50-year-old Hermenegildo Vilchis was stabbed in the chest during an argument at his restaurant, El Taco Naco, in the 2600 block of West Chicago Avenue in West Town about 1 a.m., authorities said.

Vilchis, of the 3800 block of West Diversey Avenue, died at Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Anastacio Gonzales, 51, from the nearby 2600 block of West Rice Street, was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, police said.

On Friday, 36-year-old Courtney Jackson was inside a car in the 1100 block of North Springfield Avenue in the Humboldt Park community when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 10:50 p.m., authorities said.

Jackson, of the 1400 block of North Lotus Avenue, was shot in the chest and died at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center early Saturday, authorities said. A 35-year-old man in the car was also wounded, police said.

On Wednesday, police found a 58-year-old strangled in the 2500 block of West Moffat Street in Logan Square at 5:45 p.m., authorities said. The medical examiner's office has not yet released her name.

The killing started early Wednesday when when gunfire erupted about 1:50 a.m. in the 4500 block of North Broadway in Uptown. Jennifer Ponton, 24, was shot multiple times while riding in a passing vehicle.

Ponton, of the 1200 block of Madison Court in downstate Bradley, died hours later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office.

She was the 100th homicide in Chicago this year, according to the medical examiner's office.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 105 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Courtney Jackson fatally shot in Humboldt Park

Michael Lansu — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 12:06:33 -0500

Courtney Jackson was killed, and another man was wounded, was gunfire erupted in the Humboldt Park neighborhood Friday night.

The men were inside a car in the 1100 block of North Springfield Avenue when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 10:50 p.m., police said.

Jackson, 36, of the 1400 block of North Lotus Avenue, was shot in the chest and died at Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center at 1:21 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Jackson had three children and was trying to find a job, his mother told DNAinfo Chicago.

The other man, 35, was shot in the neck and was taken in serious condition to Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, police said.

The gunman ran away after the shooting, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire