Darrin Joss | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least seven people killed in Chicago violence, though no homicides reported over weekend

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:00:58 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Despite the first weekend of the year in which there were no fatal shootings, at least seven people died from violence last week in Chicago. And while that number is unacceptable, it was the lowest number of murders in the city since the week of New Year's, when only 5 people were killed.

A north suburban man was fatally shot after an argument in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood on Friday night.

Wavey Brown, 44, was arguing with another man in an alley in the 5000 block of South Calumet Avenue at 9:30 p.m. when the other man pulled out a gun and fired, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Brown, who lived in the 300 block of Washington Street in Waukegan, suffered a gunshot wound to the back, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m., authorities said.

Also Friday, a 22-year-old west suburban man was fatally shot in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood on the Northwest Side. About 1:15 a.m., Courtney Copeland got out of a car in the 5500 block of West Grand and approached officers in a squad car in front of the 25th District police station, police said.

When he said he had been shot in the back, the Cicero resident was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. It was unclear exactly where COpeland had been shot, and no one was in custody as of Monday.

The wheelchair-bound suspect in a fatal shooting in the gym of a River West apartment building Wednesday night is in custody after surrendering to police early Thursday.

Darrin Joss, 45, was shot in the head about 7 p.m. in the eighth-floor gym of the apartment building where he lived at 555 W. Kinzie, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Joss died about half an hour later at a hospital.

Late Thursday, Reggie Daniel, 48, was charged with one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Joss in the head and chest as Joss used a treadmill at the gym. Prosecutors said the two had argued about a woman earlier. Joss was being held on a $1 million bond.

Tommie L. Pledge was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in a Humboldt Park neighborhood business, police said.

A suspect or suspects entered a store in the 3600 block of West Division Street at 4:33 p.m. and shot the 31-year-old Pledge several times before running away, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pledge, of the 5200 block of West Congress, died of multiple gunshots wounds, an autopsy showed.

Natyia Kyrell Bowen was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in Austin. The 22-year-old was outside in the 300 block of North Central at 1:55 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him multiple times, according to the medical examiner’s office and Police.

Bowen, of the 9100 block of South Yates Boulevard, was shot in the head and torso, and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

William Bustos was shot dead in Back of the Yards neighborhood Tuesday evening, ending a period of nearly 75 hours without a fatal shooting in the city.

The 20-year-old was walking in the 4400 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 6:15 p.m. when someone got out of a car, walked up to him and fired several shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Bustos, who lived in the 1700 block of West 43rd Street, was shot in the chest and head, and was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later.

A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death Tuesday evening in West Garfield Park. Someone stabbed Fredrick Brown in the chest about 5:45 p.m. during a fight over money in the 3900 block of West Jackson, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Brown, who lived in the 3800 block of West Adams, was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later. No one was in custody in connection with the stabbing, police said.

$1M bond for wheelchair-bound man charged with fatal shooting of Darrin Joss in River West gym

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 16:38:47 -0600

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN and SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times

Reggie Daniel | Chicago Police

A wheelchair-bound man was ordered held on $1 million bond Friday after he was charged with fatally shooting Darrin Joss inside a River West apartment building’s gym Wednesday night.

Reggie Daniel, 48, faces one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Joss as the 45-year-old was using a stationary bike in the eighth-floor gym at 555 W. Kinzie, which was filled with people shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The two men lived in the building, knew each other and had been arguing, authorities said.

Daniel turned himself in to Chicago Police early Thursday. The father of two is a paraplegic and has been in a wheelchair since 1986, his public defender said at his bond hearing.

At some point Wednesday night, after the argument, Daniel left the eighth floor while Joss went to the gym, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Marilyn Salas-Wail said.

Darrin Joss was shot to death while using the gym in a River West apartment building Wednesday night. | Sam Charles/Sun-Times Wire

But then Daniel returned to the fitness center, pulled out a gun and shot Joss in the head and chest, Salas-Wail said.

Joss fell to the ground and Daniels fled the building. Several witnesses identified him as the shooter, and he was captured on surveillance video entering the gym and shooting Joss, Salas-Wail said.

Joss was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

After the shooting, Alexa Regiman, who lives in the building, told reporters she was working out while listening to music when she felt the ground shake.

“The second time, I was like ‘Something’s not right’,” she said. After she felt the thuds, she looked to her left and saw a man—who had been using a treadmill—lying on the ground covered in blood.

The shooter was a man in a wheelchair whom she had seen in the building before, she said.

“I just moved here,” she said. “I’m still thinking this is a safe area, but the fact that it happened right behind me ... what if that were me?”

Man charged with fatal shooting of Darrin Joss following argument in gym of River West apartment building

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 09:15:58 -0600

By SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Reggie Daniel | Chicago Police

A man has been charged with fatally shooting Darrin Joss inside a River West apartment building’s gym Wednesday night.

Reggie Daniel, 48, faces one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Joss, 45, in the head and chest as Joss used the eighth-floor gym at 555 W. Kinzie shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday. Daniel turned himself in to authorities Thursday morning.

Joss, who lived in the building where he was shot, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In a statement issued early Friday, police said the shooting occurred “after a verbal altercation.”

After the shooting, Alexa Regiman, who lives in the building, told reporters she was working out while listening to music when she felt the ground shake.

The shooter was a man in a wheelchair whom she had seen in the building before, she said.

“I just moved here,” she said. “I’m still thinking this is a safe area, but the fact that it happened right behind me . . . what if that were me?”

Person of interest in custody after Darrin Joss fatally shot while working out in gym of River West apartment building

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 12:55:24 -0600

A man was shot to death while using the gym in a River West apartment building Wednesday night. | Sam Charles/Sun-Times Wire

By SAM CHARLES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

A person of interest surrendered to police early Thursday after Darrin Joss was fatally shot in the gym of a River West apartment building Wednesday night.

Joss, 45, was shot in the head about 7:06 p.m. in the eighth-floor gym of the apartment building at 555 W. Kinzie, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Joss, who lived on the same block, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:48 p.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.

Late Wednesday, Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that the shooting was an “isolated incident” and that detectives “know who [the shooter] is and are actively looking.”

A person of interest in the shooting arrived at CPD Headquarters about 3:30 a.m. Thursday and surrendered, according to a statement from police. No charges had been filed as of 12:30 p.m.

Alexa Regiman, who lives in the building, told reporters she was working out while listening to music when she felt the ground shake.

The shooter was a man in a wheelchair whom she had seen in the building before, she said.

“I just moved here,” she said. “I’m still thinking this is a safe area, but the fact that it happened right behind me . . . what if that were me?”

SWAT teams were called to the building, but residents were let back into their units about an hour after the shooting.

Once told of the shooting, several residents were shocked that it took place in an area that normally sees little gun violence.

“You’re s——- me,” one man said.