WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:00:04 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Eight people were fatally shot throughout Chicago last week.

Three of the murders happened over the weekend, when 11 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Ladarius Edwards was shot on a sidewalk in the 8000 block of South Fairfield Avenue about 2:50 a.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Edwards, of the 2500 block of West 79th Street, was shot in the head and died less than an hour later at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Another man was wounded but survived, police said.

On Friday, pPolice found 24-year-old Jeffrey Daniels shot in the head inside a vehicle in the 200 block of North Mason Avenue in the Austin neighborhood about 11:30 p.m., authorities said.

Daniels, 24, of 1400 block of West Taylor Street, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Hyde Park neighborhood, 25-year-old Paris D. Walker-Rush accidentally shot David Kennedy in the head an apartment the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue about 9 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Kennedy, 24, of the 3700 block of South Wood Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.

Walker-Rush, of the 5200 block of South Cornell Avenue, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said.

On Wednesday, 25-year-old Krystal T. Jackson was shot while inside a vehicle in the 6800 block of South Loomis Boulevard in West Englewood about 6:25 p.m., authorities said.

Jackson, 25, of the 7700 block of South Saginaw Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at the hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Two other people were wounded but survived.

In the Humboldt Park neighborhood, 23-year-old Tyris T. Ferguson was shot while inside a vehicle in the 700 block of North St. Louis Avenue about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Ferguson, 23, of the 800 block of North St. Louis Avenue, was shot multiple times and died less than an hour later at Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said. Three other people were wounded but survived.

On Tuesday, police found 21-year-old Derick D. Coopwood shot multiple times in the 700 block of North Spaulding Avenue in the Humboldt Park neighborhood about 7:05 a.m., authorities said.

Coopwood, of the 700 block of North Christiana Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Monday, 31-year-old Larry Thomas was shot in the neck and police found him on a sidewalk in the 7500 block of South Union Avenue in Englewood about 11:30 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Thomas, of an unidentified home address, died about an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 30-year-old Robert Leverett was shot in the head in the 7200 block of South Carpenter Street in Englewood about 7 p.m. Monday, authorities said.

Leverett, of the 1200 block of West 72nd Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 400 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 14 people killed by police.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different by following federal guidelines, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

Derick Coopwood killed in Humboldt Park shooting

Michael Lansu — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 13:44:52 -0600

Derick Coopwood / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

A purported West Side gang member who pleaded guilty to a drug charge stemming from a high-profile 2012 bust was found shot to death early Tuesday in the Humboldt Park community.

Police found 21-year-old Derick D. Coopwood shot multiple times in the 700 block of North Spaulding Avenue about 7:05 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Coopwood, of the 700 block of North Christiana Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Coopwood was one of nine people arrested in 2012 after police busted an open-air drug market on a West Side street, authorities said.

A spike in shootings and violence near Ohio and Hamlin streets led Narcotics Divisions Officers to begin their investigation of the corner two months ago, police said.

Tied to the Conservative Vice Lord gang, police seized $6,700 in illegal funds and heroin with an estimate street value of $3,000, police said.

Coopwood was initially held on $50,000 bond, but was later released on an I-bond, authorities said. He pleaded guilty to the drug charges in 2012 and was sentenced to community service, according to court records, which indicated he later violated terms of his probation and was sent back to prison.

He was released from the Hill Correctional Center on Sept. 5, 2014, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Derick D. Coopwood | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight shot dead throughout Chicago

Derick Coopwood killed in Humboldt Park shooting