WEEK IN REVIEW: As nation focuses on Dallas, Baton Rouge and Minnesota, at least 12 people killed in Chicago

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 16:00:12 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

While the public's attention was drawn to fatal police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana, and the killing of five police officers in Dallas last week, at least 12 people died in violence in Chicago, a number that could rise.

Police shootings in Baton Rouge and a Minneapolis suburb led to nationwide protests, including a rally in Dallas that turned fatal when a sniper opened fire, killing five officers, and wounding seven officers and two civilians.

There were a series of protests across Chicago following the incidents, but that didn't stop the violence in the city.

A man was shot and killed Sunday evening in the West Pullman neighborhood. The 33-year-old was standing on the street about 10:15 p.m. in the 11500 block of South Perry when two males walked up and fired multiple shots, Chicago Police said.

He was shot in the back and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was later pronounced dead, police said. The shooters ran away and no suspects were in custody early Monday. The victim's name had not been released as of late Monday afternoon.

A 33-year-old man was shot and killed Sunday evening in the West Pullman neighborhood. Demetrius A. Warren was standing on the street about 10:15 p.m. in the 11500 block of South Perry when two males walked up and fired multiple shots, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Warren was shot in the back and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 11:08 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. The shooters ran away, police said.
A west suburban man was killed and two other people wounded in a shooting late Friday in Austin. The three were shot while standing on the sidewalk in the 500 block of North Lavergne about 11:40 p.m., according to police.
Leander E. Winford II, 59, of Broadview, was shot in the right arm and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:38 a.m. Saturday, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

A 17-year-old boy was shot in the left leg and a 32-year-old man was shot in the left arm and leg, police said. They were both taken to Stroger Hospital, where their conditions were stabilized.
A 22-year-old man was fatally shot in the Roseland neighborhood Friday night, police said. Kendall Smith was standing on the sidewalk in the 11200 block of South Michigan about 9:30 p.m. when he heard gunfire and felt pain, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he later died.
One man was killed and another critically wounded in a shooting Wednesday night in the Fernwood neighborhood. Officers responding at 10:35 p.m. to a call of shots fired in the 300 block of West 106th Street found a 43-year-old man inside a home with a gunshot wound to the neck, according to police.
The officers then found 24-year-old Maurice M. Ross lying on the ground in the alley, suffering from gunshot wounds to the head and back, according to authorities. Ross was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds. The older man was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition, police said.
An 18-year-old man was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in the Lawndale neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of a person shot found 18-year-old Kewan Gillespie with a gunshot wound to the back about 3:45 p.m. on a porch in the 3100 block of West Douglas Boulevard, according to police and the medical examiner's office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A woman has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI for a crash that killed a man Tuesday night in Brighton Park. Tania A. Reyna was ordered held on a $300,000 bond for the crash near 44th and California, according to police and the Cook County state's attorney's office.
About 11:45 p.m., Reyna was driving south on California Avenue when she disobeyed a stop sign and struck a vehicle heading east on 44th Street, police said. The eastbound vehicle then struck two poles, and the 28-year-old driver, Carlos De Lourdes, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died an hour later.

Reyna tested positive for PCP and admitted she had been drinking Four Loko and fighting with her boyfriend before she slammed into De Lourdes’ car, prosecutors said.
Authorities also found three Grey Goose vodka bottles on the passenger floor of her car.
A store manager was fatally shot while trying to stop a shoplifter at a Family Dollar store in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood Tuesday evening. JQuinn McCune, 30, was working at the store in the 7900 block of South Ashland when he saw someone inside stealing items about 5 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
When confronted, the shoplifter pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting McCune in the chest, police said. McCune, formerly of Flint, Michigan, was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he later died, authorities said. The shooter ran away, and no one was in custody as of Monday morning.
A 23-year-old man died Tuesday afternoon after being stabbed the prior morning in the Ashburn neighborhood, an incident police later ruled self-defense. Derion Smith was fighting with a 21-year-old man about 2:10 a.m. Monday in the 8000 block of South Pulaski when the younger man stabbed Smith in the neck with a knife, according to police and the medical examiner's office.
Smith was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday. An autopsy Wednesday found he died of the stab wound, and his death was ruled a homicide, but police said the younger man was taken in and questioned, but later released without charges. The investigation indicated he acted in self-defense, police said..
A 25-year-old man was fatally shot in the South Chicago neighborhood Tuesday afternoon. Laron McCoy was shot in the head about 1:15 p.m. in the 8100 block of South Burnham, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
McCoy was taken to South Shore Hospital, where he later died, authorities said. He lived in the 9700 block of South Luella.
A man was killed and two women injured in a shooting early Tuesday in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Mecahel Holder, 34, was standing outside in the 1100 block of North Ridgeway talking to two women who were sitting in a parked vehicle at 1:35 a.m. He then got into an argument with a pair of males in the street, one of whom opened fire, authorities said.
Holder suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 29-year-old woman was shot in the right shoulder and was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, police said. The other woman, 31, was shot in the right hand and was in good condition.
A southwest suburban man was shot to death in the South Shore neighborhood Monday night. Officers responding about 9:20 p.m. to a call of a traffic crash with injuries in the 6900 block of South Clyde found 40-year-old Michael Griffin lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his abdomen, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Griffin, who lived in Tinley Park, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead an hour later.

A 13th potential homicide could be a man found dead with a gunshot wound to the head after a fire in an automotive repair shop Tuesday morning in Avalon Park, but authorities have not determined whether the incident was a murder or a suicide.

Firefighters responded about 6:40 a.m. to the blaze at the business in the 8000 block of South Stony Island, and the 56-year-old man was found dead after the fire, according to the Chicago Fire Dept. and police. Area South and arson detectives are conducting a death investigation.

Derion Smith fatally stabbed during fight in Ashburn, but police say the other man acted in self-defense

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 17:00:45 -0500

Derion Smith died Tuesday afternoon, about 36 hours after being stabbed during a fight in the Ashburn neighborhood. The death was ruled a homicide, but police said the other man involved acted in self-defense.

Smith, 23, was fighting with a 21-year-old man about 2:10 a.m. Monday in the 8000 block of South Pulaski when the younger man stabbed him in the neck with a knife, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Smith was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. He lived in the same block where he was stabbed.

A 25-year-old woman who tried to break up the fight cut her finger and was also taken to Christ Medical Center, where her condition was stabilized, police said. Police could not confirm reports that the woman was pregnant.

An autopsy Wednesday found that Smith died of the stab wound to the neck, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The 21-year-old man was taken into custody and questioned, but later released without charges after an investigation indicated he acted in self-defense, police said.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Derion Smith | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: As nation focuses on Dallas, Baton Rouge and Minnesota, at least 12 people killed in Chicago

Derion Smith fatally stabbed during fight in Ashburn, but police say the other man acted in self-defense