Courtney Taylor | Homicide Watch Chicago

Prosecutors: Murder of Courtney Taylor in Hyatt Regency McCormick Place started with argument over woman

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 14:04:03 -0600

Armonte Hooper | Chicago Police

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

While Armonte Hooper fired the shots that killed a man in the lobby of a hotel near McCormick Place two weeks ago, James Briscoe was right there, encouraging his friend to "finish off" the victim.

Briscoe, 23, was ordered held on a $1 million bond Friday by Judge Laura Sullivan after being charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Courtney Taylor, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office.

Hooper, 23, was previously charged with first-degree murder for the shooting at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place at 2233 S. King Dr., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He is being held without bond.

On Jan. 23, Taylor and several friends were attending a party in a suite at the Hyatt, assistant state's attorney Jamie Santini said in court Friday. About 2:20 a.m., Taylor and friends were leaving when another man approached him in the lobby and accused him him hitting on his girlfriend.

Armonte Hooper | Chicago Police

A verbal altercation turned physical, with several men fighting in the lobby, including Hooper and Briscoe, prosecutors said. As hotel security stepped in to break it up, the suspects walked outside.

They returned about a minute later, and Hooper pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at one of Taylor's friends, Santini said. When someone in the crowd yelled, "Gun," Taylor and his friends tried to run.

One of Taylor's friends was struck over the head with a glass tabletop, and Taylor was confronted by Hooper, prosecutors said.

Hooper then began firing shots, and witnesses heard Briscoe shouting, "blow that m-----f----- and finish him," according to prosecutors.

Hooper then shot Taylor, and when he fell to the ground, Hooper stood above him and shot him five more times, including a close-range shot to the head, Santini said.

The suspects then ran out, but the entire incident was captured on hotel surveillance cameras, and witnesses identified Hooper as the shooter and Briscoe as the man who egged him on, prosecutors said.

Courtney Taylor | Facebook

Taylor, of the 6800 block of South Paulina Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Briscoe, who lives in the 8200 block of South Carpenter; and Hooper, of the 400 block of West Marquette, are due back in court Feb. 17, according to the Cook County sheriff's office.

Second man charged with fatal shooting of Courtney Taylor in lobby of Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:17:49 -0600

James Briscoe | Chicago Police

A second suspect has been charged with murder for a shooting about two weeks ago in the lobby of a hotel near McCormick Place that left Courtney Taylor dead.

James Briscoe, 23, has been charged with first-degree murder, Chicago Police announced Friday morning.

Armonte Hooper, 23, was previously charged with first-degree murder for the shooting that left the 25-year-old Taylor dead in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place at 2233 S. King Dr., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

About 2:20 a.m. Jan. 23, Taylor was among several people fighting in the hotel lobby when someone pulled out a gun and shot him in the head, authorities said at the time.

Armonte Hooper | Chicago Police

Taylor, of the 6800 block of South Paulina Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

Court information was not immediately available for Briscoe, who lives in the 8200 block of South Carpenter. Hooper, of the 400 block of West Marquette, is being held without bond, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight people were fatally shot, and one was stabbed to death in Chicago violence

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 25 Jan 2016 16:00:10 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least eight people were killed by gunfire in Chicago last week, and a ninth man was stabbed to death as the violent start to 2016 continued in spite of some frigid temperatures.

Alphonzo Guinyard, 26, man was stabbed to death during an argument Sunday morning in East Garfield Park, Chicago Police said. Two men were arguing in the 3400 block of West Polk when it escalated into a fight about 9:20 a.m. The older man, 32, then stabbed the Guinyard in the back. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the argument was domestic-related, but the exact relationship between the men was not immediately known. The suspect was taken into custody and charges are pending, police said.

One man was killed and another wounded in a shooting Saturday night in Roseland. The men, ages 21 and 26, were sitting in a car parked in the 9600 block of South Calumet about 10:45 p.m. when a gunman got out of a dark-colored car, walked up and started shooting, according to police. A friend drove them to Roseland Community Hospital.

The older man, identified as Orlando McArther, was shot in the back of the head and the left arm, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. McArther, of the 9600 block of South Forest, was then taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:10 p.m. Sunday.

The younger man was shot in the buttocks and his condition was stabilized, police said.

A man was shot to death Saturday morning in the Homan Square neighborhood on the West Side.

Derrius Lares, 22, was found about 7 a.m. in a backyard in the 3300 block of West Polk with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Lares, of the 6600 block of South Hoyne Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:10 a.m.

A man was fatally shot in the lobby of a hotel near McCormick Place early Saturday, according to police.

About 2:20 a.m., 25-year-old Courtney Taylor was among several people fighting in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place at 2233 S. King Drive, police and the medical examiner’s office said. During the fight, someone pulled out a gun and shot him in the head.

Taylor, of the 6800 block of South Paulina Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy Saturday found that he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

A 19-year-old man was found fatally shot in the Back of the Yards neighborhood Thursday night.

Juan C. Gonzalez was found lying face down next to an SUV in an alley in the 4700 block of South Wood about 10:20 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was shot in the chest.

Gonzalez, of the 5100 block of South Bishop, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:20 p.m., authorities said.

A man was shot to death on the block where he lived in the North Austin neighborhood Thursday night.

Deante Dale, 20, was found unresponsive in the front seat of a car parked in the 1700 block of North Menard about 10:12 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. He had been shot in the left shoulder. Dale was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m. at Mount Sinai Hospital.

A west suburban man was killed and another man wounded in a shooting Thursday evening in West Garfield Park. The men, ages 21 and 23, were both shot at 7:19 p.m. in the 4600 block of West Huron, according to police.

The older man, identified as Martel Howard of Westchester, was shot multiple times in the abdomen and was dropped off at Stroger Hospital, where he died at 8:08 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office.

The younger man was shot in both legs and was also driven to Stroger, where his condition was stabilized.

Lionel Williams was killed and two other men wounded in an Englewood neighborhood shooting Wednesday night.

The three were standing outside in the 5700 block of South Green about 7:15 p.m. when they heard gunshots, police said.

Williams, 24, who lived on the same block, was killed in the shooting, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

A 34-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and foot, police said. He was in serious condition. The third man, 41, was shot in the arm and was in fair condition.

Giovani Salgado was shot to death late Monday while sitting in a car in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the North Side.

Salgado, 21, was found in the passenger seat of a parked vehicle in the 6800 block of North Ridge about 11:50 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Salgado had been shot in the chest and back, and was pronounced dead at the scene. He lived in the 6400 block of North Damen.

An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Courtney Taylor fatally shot during brawl at Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Jeff Mayes — Sat, 23 Jan 2016 16:51:04 -0600

Police investigate after a man was shot to death in a hotel lobby early Saturday near McCormick Place. | Network Video Productions

By SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Courtney Taylor was fatally shot during a fight in the lobby of a hotel near McCormick Place early Saturday, according to Chicago Police.

About 2:20 a.m., the 25-year-old was among several people fighting in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place at 2233 S. King Drive, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

During the fight, someone pulled out a gun and shot him in the head.

Taylor, of the 6800 block of South Paulina Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. An autopsy Saturday found that he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

The fight and subsequent shooting occurred in the hotel’s South Tower, which was completely cordoned off with police tape. The floor was littered with broken glass and several planters were tipped over. Some pieces of lobby furniture were turned on their sides.

About a dozen police vehicles crowded the valet area outside the hotel’s entrance and, on several occasions, officers referred hotel guests, some concerned and confused by the abundance of crime scene tape, to the front desk in order to get to their rooms.

Taylor’s body—which was plainly visible through a large window on the building’s south side—remained uncovered for about an hour after the shooting.

Around the time the body was covered with a sheet, a woman who said she was his mother arrived at the hotel and pleaded with police to let her see the body.

After detectives told her she couldn’t look at the body up close until the crime scene had been processed, she went outside to the south window and saw Taylor’s corpse—still lying in the well-lit lobby with a thin trail of blood coming from his head—covered except for a portion of his face.

“That’s my son,” the woman screamed, hitting the window as she was surrounded by about 10 additional family members and friends.

“Look at my son lying on the ground like that,” she yelled through tears as she collapsed to the ground. “Get my baby off that ground.”

Eventually, officers cordoned off the area directly in front of the window, but the group—which grew to nearly 20 people—remained.

Travis Cain, who was visiting Chicago from Memphis to celebrate his 36th birthday on Sunday, was in the lobby when the fight broke out.

He said the fight involved more than a dozen people and after a hotel security officer yelled that someone had a gun, he was pushed into a corner of the lobby before he heard shots ring out.

“I’ve learned not to pass judgment on places, Memphis isn’t the best city either,” Cain said while smoking a cigarette outside the lobby. “We could all do better.”

Hyatt released a statement on Saturday, saying the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident.

“At Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, the safety and security of guests and associates is a top priority. This appears to be an isolated incident, however the hotel is taking all appropriate precautions in an effort to ensure that guests and hotel associates remain in a safe environment. We also went to extend our sympathies to the family of the deceased. The hotel is cooperating with the authorities on their investigation, and inquiries should be directed to the Chicago Police Department,” the statement said.