Elijah Moore | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 10 shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 11:25:42 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Ten people were fatally shot throughout Chicago last week.

Four of the slaying happened over the weekend, when at least 18 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 21-year-old Dushanti Hassell was shot in the head in the 2200 block of West Winnemac Avenue about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Hassell, of the 5700 block of North Kenmore Avenue, died about three hours later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, 23-year-old Delia Colunga was a passenger in a vehicle when she was shot in the head near East 109th Street and South Green Bay Avenue on the East Side about 7:05 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Colunga, of the 600 block of East 65th Street, died Sunday morning at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the Auburn Gresham neighborhood, police found 30-year-old Alexander Colon shot in the chest on a back porch in the 8800 block of South Wood Street about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Colon, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

On Friday, 21-year-old Terrell Foster was wounded during a drive-by shooting in the 8100 block of South Houston Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood about 4:30 p.m., authorities said.

On Thursday, emergency personnel found 24-year-old Fabian Echevarria shot in the head inside a vehicle in the 900 block of North Mozart Street in the Humboldt Park community about 8 p.m., authorities said.

Echevarria, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Ashburn community, 24-year-old Joseph Burdine was shot shot several times in the back in the 7900 block of South Kedzie Avenue about 11:10 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Burdine, of the 8000 block of South Troy Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Austin community, 30-year-old James White was shot at a gas station in the 100 block of South Cicero Avenue about 2 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

White, of the 100 block of North Kostner Avenue, was unresponsive when paramedics arrived and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

In the Chatham neighborhood, police found 43-year-old Juan Warrior shot multiple times in the 8100 block of South Normal Avenue about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Warrior, 43, of the 6500 block of South Wolcott Avenue, died at the scene, authorities said.

The killings started when 35-year-old Deonta Jackson and 41-year-old Elijah Moore were shot outside the Dolphin Chicago nightclub in the 2200 block of North Ashland Avenue in Bucktown about 3:10 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Police said club security kicked out a group of men for fighting just before the gunfire erupted.

Jackson, of the 600 block of West 115th Street, and Moore, 7700 block of South Bishop Street, both died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. A 26-year-old man was also wounded, but survived, police said.

Additionally, the death of 79-year-old Margaret Noble was ruled a homicide after she died Saturday after being injured in a March 8 first at her East Garfield Park home in the 300 block of South Albany Avenue, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 73 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Comment of the Day: "He always kept a smile on his face"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 16:31:08 -0500

Elijah Moore, 41, was fatally shot March 16 outside the Dolphin Chicago nightclub in Bucktown. Reader "Bless You All" posted this about him:

May God bless his family. I grew up with his boys and my older siblings grew up with him. Their father was very quite. He always kept a smile on his face dress very nice, As well as his boys. So my condolences to his two boys and his little girl may God bless you all Big E will be missed.

Alderman wants crackdown after killings outside Bucktown club; city will try to shut Dolphin down

Michael Lansu — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 16:59:20 -0500

Scene where two men were fatally shot / Photo by Ashlee Rezin

BY FRAN SPEILMAN AND ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Bucktown Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) demanded Monday that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration crack the whip against bars and nightclubs with a history of police complaints after a nightclub fight spilled out into the street and triggered the fatal shooting of two people.

The men got into a fight about 3:10 a.m. Monday inside Dolphin Chicago in the 2200 block of North Ashland Avenue and were escorted out of the club by security guards, according to police. They were standing in a crowd on the sidewalk outside when shots rang out.

Waguespack’s ward includes the Dolphin, a frequent target of neighbor complaints. The alderman wrote on his Facebook page that the nightclub, which holds a 4 a.m. liquor license, should have been closed long ago because it has been the target of chronic neighbor complaints.

“If Rahm and staff would do what they were asked several times, they would have pulled their license,” Waguespack wrote.

However, in a follow-up interview, Waguespack was far less pointed in his criticism of the Emanuel administration.

“I’m not holding him responsible for the shooting. That’s not what I’m saying. But he needs to tell his [liquor control] commissioner to drop the hammer on these places as best they can and not delay so we have more incidents like this,” Waguespack, who has endorsed Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, said Monday.

“The phones are ringing off the hook. People are calling extremely angry knowing this place has had constant problems. ... They’re wondering why they’ve had constant problems and the place is still not shut down. I’m just mad because I’ve asked these commissioners repeatedly to do their jobs and nothing happens. Then, we get another shooting, another deleterious impact hearing and still, nothing happens. [Emanuel] is not responsible. But, if we pushed people and really forced them to shut `em down — that’s where his commissioners have to step up.”

Mayoral spokesperson Elizabeth Langsdorf responded to Waguespack’s demand for a crackdown with an emailed statement promising to do just that.

“The city of Chicago has continued to actively enforce at the Dolphin and, based on the two homicides last night, will bring a new case against them seeking to shut them down,” Langsdorf wrote.

“The city was able to close the business in 2010, but per a court order it was allowed to reopen. Since the business was reopened, we have been unable to shut it down again because the Circuit Court has found the business to be in compliance, but we have continued to aggressively enforce against this establishment.”

City Hall sources said the Dolphin “was written up 14 times” since 2006 -- and fined an unspecified amount — for a host of violations that range from over-occupancy to operating after hours and failure to notify police of criminal conduct.

In the wake of Monday’s fatal shooting, the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and Local Liquor Commissioner Greg Steadman are reviewing police reports to determine the path for charges that will be forwarded to the Law Department for filing with the License Discipline Commission. In addition to police citations, inspections will be scheduled by the Departments of Buildings and Public Health to ensure compliance.

Records show that Hodo Menetti, who is now deceased, and was the father of the current owner of the Dolphin, contributed $500 to Waguespack in November 2011.

The nightclub itself donated $2,000 to Waguespack in 2008.

Sam Menetti, current owner of the club, could not be reached for comment.

In Monday morning’s incident, one man, age 34, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the body, and a 41-year-old man was shot in the chest. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed the fatalities but no other details were released.

A 26-year-old man shot in the left wrist was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

The slain 41-year-old man was identified by family members as downtown Chicago resident Elijah Moore, a father to three children, including a 7-year-old daughter.

“He was a good man,” said Thomas Gooch, who said he was Moore’s uncle. “He took care of his kids, took care of his mom, worked hard… I’m numb.”

Darris Kelly, a 33-year-old West Side man who said he was inside the club, said between five and seven people got into a fight and were being removed when he heard at least seven gunshots ring out.

“There was a fight, then we heard shots and everybody hit the floor,” Kelly said. “It was definitely scary. Chicago is crazy.”

Waguespack disclosed that Emanuel approached him at a City Council meeting in August or September of last year about another bar in Waguespack’s ward with a 4 a.m. liquor license. At the time, the mayor was holding a note from an area resident demanding the immediate shut down of a late-night bar in Roscoe Village.

On that day, Waguespack said he brought up three places, including Dolphin, and asked the mayor to crack the regulatory whip.

“I specifically said, `Tell your commissioner to get these places in order.’ What we wanted to do was get the hearings going and have the liquor commissioner hold the hearings to shut these places down. The work had already been done by police. If you look at the record on this place and other late-night bars, police are constantly responding and neighbors are saying, `What does it take–for someone to get shot to close this place down?’ ” Waguespack said.

Elijah Moore / Submitted photo

Waguespack noted that the city’s so-called “public nuisance ordinance” allows three violent acts within 12 months before an operator can have his or her license revoked.

“Strictly enforce the code or strengthen the code to shut these places down or rein them in. We’re losing police resources because they have to focus on these places all the time and the neighbors bear the brunt of all the problems: shootings, stabbings, fights, garbage–all of the quality-of-life issues,” the alderman said.

During City Council budget hearings last fall, aldermen put Liquor Commissioner Greg Steadman on the hot seat about problem bars and their impact on area residents.

Waguespack was among the aldermen complaining on that day. But, he was not the only one. He was joined by a parade of colleagues, including downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) and by retiring Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd).

Fioretti finished fourth in the Feb. 24 mayoral election with Waguespack’s support. In Round 2, Waguespack, a leader of the City Council’s Progressive Caucus, made the switch to Garcia.

-- Contributing: Mitch Armentrout

Two men killed in shooting at Dolphin Chicago in Bucktown

Michael Lansu — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 09:30:07 -0500

Elijah Moore / Submitted photo

BY ASHLEE REZIN AND MITCH ARMENTROUT
Sun-Times Media

Elijah Moore and Deonta Jackson were fatally shot when gunfire erupted outside a Bucktown nightclub early Monday.

Security guards at Dolphin Chicago kicked out a group of men for fighting in the club, police said.

The group was standing outside on the sidewalk in the 2200 block of North Ashland Avenue when shots rang out about 3:10 a.m., police said.

A 34-year-old man shot multiple times and a 41-year-old man shot in the chest died at the scene, police said.

A 26-year-old man shot in the left wrist was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment, police said.

Jackson, 35, of the 600 block of West 115th Street, was shot multiple times and died at the scene, authorities said.

Moore, 41, 7700 block of South Bishop Street, also died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Family said Moore had three children, including a 7-year-old daughter, family said.

"He was a good man," said Moore's uncle, Thomas Gooch. "He took care of his kids, took care of his mom, worked hard. I’m numb."

Darris Kelly, a 33-year-old West Side man inside the club when the gunfire erupted, said between five and seven people got into a fight and were being removed when he heard at least seven gunshots.

"There was a fight, then we heard shots and everybody hit the floor," Kelly said. "It was definitely scary. Chicago is crazy."

Nobody has been charged for the killing.

Area North detectives are investigating.