WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 10 people killed in Chicago violence during the week before Christmas

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 16:00:37 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 10 people were the victims of violent homicides last week in Chicago, including three men who were fatally shot on Thursday, and an elderly man who was shot when he answered his door on Sunday morning.

Fredell Bryant answered his door about 6 a.m. in the 5200 block of South Green in Back of the Yards, and was shot twice in the chest, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Bryant, 71, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:51 a.m.

Less than an hour earlier, also in Back of the Yards, one man was killed and another hurt in a shooting.

Deovolente Simmons, 31, and a 33-year-old man were sitting in a car parked in the 5400 block of South Laflin about 5:30 a.m. when shots were fired, hitting Simmons in the chest and grazing the older man’s head, according to police.

They were taken to Stroger Hospital, where Simmons died, according to the medical examiner’s office. The other man was treated and released.

City officials closed a Bucktown nightclub after a fight inside spilled onto the street early Sunday, leading to a shooting that left 21-year-old Ieshea N. Abdullah dead and a man wounded.

About 3:40 a.m. Sunday, a fight inside the Koncrete Nightclub in the 1600 block of North Elston spilled onto the street and Abdullah was shot in the head and a 23-year-old man was shot in the leg, according to police.

The two victims, the suspected shooter and other passengers were walking to their car when the suspect began fighting with one of the passengers, pulled out a gun and fired shots. Police said the suspect fled the scene in another car.

Abdullah was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she later died, according to the medical examiner’s office. The man was also taken to Masonic, where his condition stabilized.

A 37-year-old man was fatally shot after he and another man broke into a Little Village home late Wednesday, police said.

Ronald Williamson, 35, was armed with a handgun when he and Lawrence Pitts forced their way into a home in the 2200 block of South Avers about 10 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

They got into a struggle with a 43-year-old man who lives in the home, and shots were fired, hitting Pitts in the face and abdomen, authorities said.

Pitts was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at Friday afternoon. It wasn’t clear if he was shot with Williamson’s gun or if another weapon was involved.

The 43-year-old resident suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Saint Anthony Hospital, police said.

Williamson was charged with home invasion, attempted robbery and murder while committing another forcible felony, police said.

Willie Clifton was shot to death Thursday evening in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. The 21-year-old was found unresponsive with gunshot wounds at 5:22 p.m. in the 7700 block of South Winchester Avenue, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Clifton, who lived in the 7900 block of South Wood Street, was dead at the scene.

Just about an hour earlier, Christopher Keys was fatally shot, also in Auburn Gresham.

The 21-year-old Keys, of the 11000 block of South Artesian Avenue, was found shot in a vehicle about 4:30 p.m. in the 8300 block of South Ada, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m.

A tow truck driver was also shot and killed Thursday in the South Side Park Manor neighborhood.

Lutredze Evans was driving a flatbed tow truck northbound in the 6800 block of South Anthony about 9 a.m. when someone opened fire at him, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

The 32-year-old was shot multiple times in the chest and arms, but continued driving northbound until he crashed the truck into a viaduct at 68th and King, police said.

Evans, of the 8300 block of South Rhodes, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:43 a.m.

Seventeen-year-old Brandon McKnight was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

He was walking in the 500 block of East 66th Street about 1:30 p.m. when two people walked up from behind him and started shooting, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

McKnight, who lived nearby in the 6600 block of South Marquette, was shot in the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at early Thursday, according to the medical examiner's office.

A 24-year-old man was found stabbed to death Wednesday morning in the West Side Austin neighborhood. Javier Enriquez was found lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds to the body about 5:40 a.m. in the 1700 block of North Luna, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Enriquez, who lived on the same block, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Robert Parra died Tuesday, three days after he and another man were shot early Saturday in Albany Park.

The 23-year-old was standing outside about 3 a.m. in the 3400 block of West Lawrence when someone got out of a vehicle, pulled a gun and shot him in the head, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was taken to Presence Saint Frances Hospital in Evanston, police said. Parra, of the 2400 block of South Albany Avenue, was pronounced dead there at 2:48 a.m. Tuesday. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head.

The other man was taken to Saint Francis in serious condition.

Deovolente "Deo" Simmons | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 10 people killed in Chicago violence during the week before Christmas