WEEK IN REVIEW: Elderly woman stabbed and beaten in Washington Park among 6 victims of violence

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 16:00:20 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire
At least six people were killed in violence in Chicago last week, including an 89-year-old woman who was beaten and stabbed to death in her apartment by someone who then set the building on fire, according to Chicago Police.

The elderly woman was found fatally stabbed after an apartment fire early Monday in the Washington Park neighborhood was later identified as Josephine Johnson.

She was found by firefighters about 2:50 a.m. in an apartment in a three-story building in the 5100 block of South Michigan, according to Fire Media Affairs and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The fire appears to have started in her first-floor apartment, where she was found with multiple stab wounds, authorities said. The fire is thought to be suspicious in nature.

Johnson was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she died at 3:03 a.m., authorities said.

An autopsy found she died of multiple blunt and sharp force injuries from an assault, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Reginald Gildersleeve, 55, was shot inside a business in the 7200 block of West 51st Street in Gage Park at 7 p.m. Saturday after he tried to rob it while armed with a handgun, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Gildersleeve, of the 5000 block of South California, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene at 7:10 p.m., authorities said.

No charges or citations are e3xpected to be filed against the shooter, who had a conceal carry permit and an FOID card, police said.

A southwest suburban man was shot and killed Sunday morning in Little Village. The shooting happened in the 4100 block of West 31st Street at 8:35 a.m., according to police.

Eric T. Jones, 23, was shot in the chest and was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:33 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Jones lived in the 0-100 block of Hickory Trace Drive in Justice.

A 43-year-old man was charged with the fatal stabbing of Dorian D. Smith early Saturday in the South Shore neighborhood.

Brandon Young, of the 2200 block of East 102nd Street, has been charged with first-degree murder after he was identified as the person who fatally stabbed the 43-year-old Smith, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

At 12:25 a.m., police responded to a call of a battery in progress in a home in the 7800 block of South South Shore Drive. Police found Smith in a hallway on the 2nd floor with stab wounds to the head and body.

Smith, of the 8100 block of South Bishop Street, was transported to Northwestern Hospital where he died at 1:11 a.m., authorities said. An autopsy found he died of multiple sharp force injuries.

Damien Williams, wounded in a shooting Thursday morning in Chicago Lawn, died the next day at a hospital.

The shooting happened on the street in the 2500 block of West 70th Street at 9:21 a.m., according to police.

The 22-year-old Williams, who lived in the 6800 block of South Talman, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he died at 2:14 p.m Friday, according to the medical examiner's office. An autopsy showed he died of complications of multiple gunshot wounds.

Police questioned, but later released a person of interest after Rashad Stokes was shot to death Monday morning in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

Stokes, 29, was standing on the sidewalk in the 4800 block of West Madison about 1:30 a.m. when a male walked up and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Stokes, of the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway, suffered at least one gunshot wound to the body and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Police said a person of interest was questioned, but later released without charges.

Damien Williams dies one day after being injured in drive-by shooting in Chicago Lawn

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 15:26:54 -0600

Damien Williams died one day after being wounded in a drive-by shooting Thursday morning in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side.

Williams, 22, was standing outside in the 2500 block of West 70th Street at 9:21 a.m. Thursday when an SUV drove by with two people inside. Someone inside fired shots and then drove away eastbound on 70th Street, according to Chicago Police.

Williams, of the the 6800 block of Talman Avenue, suffered a gunshot wound to the head, buttocks and thigh. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 2:14 p.m. Friday, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Monday found he died of complications of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Police are investigating whether the shooting was gang-related.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Damien Williams | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Elderly woman stabbed and beaten in Washington Park among 6 victims of violence

Damien Williams dies one day after being injured in drive-by shooting in Chicago Lawn