WEEK IN REVIEW: Seven shot dead throughout city

Michael Lansu — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 09:15:54 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Seven people were shot to death throughout the city last week.

Four of the seven murders happened since Friday afternoon during a bloody weekend that saw 33 other people wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened in the Washington Park neighborhood when Corey Brownlee was fatally shot behind his home in the 6000 block of South Indiana Avenue about 2:40 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. A 27-year-old woman was also wounded in the shooting but survived.

Brownlee, 32, was shot in the chest and died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

In the Gage Park neighborhood, 20-year-old Joshua Martinez was shot in the head and back in the 3000 block of West 53rd Place about 1 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Martinez, of the 4900 block of South Karlov Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder in Martinez' death and is expected to appear for a bond hearing later Monday.

On Friday, 34-year-old Shannon Mack was found shot to death in the 2700 block of East 76th Street about 9:30 p.m., authorities said.

Mack, of the 6800 block of South Crandon Avenue, was dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Woodlawn neighborhood, 17-year-old Gakirah Barnes was fatally shot about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 6400 block of South Eberhart Avenue, authorities said. Two other people were wounded in the shooting, police said.

Gakirah, 17, was shot in the upper body and died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, about two hours later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Residents of a home on the block were in shock over the murder. They said the girl was shot while walking on the street then collapsed onto the porch of the home, bleeding from the neck and chest.

On Wednesday, rapper Big Glo -- cousin to fellow musician Chief Keef -- was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Elizabeth Street, authorities said.

Big Glo, whose real name was Mario Hess, 30, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County about an hour later, according to the medical examiner's office.

Big Glo -- who also performed under the name Blood Money -- had just recently signed with Interscope Records, said his manager, Renaldo Reuben Hess, who was also his client’s cousin.

In the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, 17-year-old Adrian Soto was killed when a gunman approached from a gangway in the 6300 block of South Mozart Street and shot him in the head about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Soto, of the 6200 block of South Francisco Avenue, died at Mount Sinai Hospital at 1:59 a.m. Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started about 7:20 p.m. Monday when Darnall Gordon was fatally shot in a convenience store in the 1600 block of West Howard Street, authorities said. Two other men were wounded in the shooting but survived.

Authorities said somebody opened fire from across the street and Gordon was shot in the chest. Gordon, 36, of the 6300 block of North Sacramento Avenue, died about an hour later at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to the medical examiner's office.

Gakirah Barnes, 17, fatally shot in Woodlawn

Michael Lansu — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 09:28:11 -0500

BY TINA SFONDELES AND BECKY SCHLIKERMAN
Chicago Sun-Times

Gakirah Barnes was killed and two others were wounded in a Friday afternoon shooting in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

The three were shot about 3:30 p.m. in the 6400 block of South Eberhart Avenue, authorities said.

Residents of a home on the block were in shock over the murder. They said the girl was shot while walking on the street then collapsed onto the porch of the home, bleeding from the neck and chest.

The girl had frequently come by the house to hang out and eat, residents said. The owner of the home frequently cooked dinner for people on her block. On Friday, she was cooking fried chicken when she heard the shots.

“When the bullets come, we run,” said the owner of the home, who didn’t want to be identified.

“[Gakirah] always had some funny joke. She never disrespected anyone,” said Timesha Writez, 20, of Bellwood, on the porch where the girl was shot.

Gakirah, 17, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she died at 5:43 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Her home address was not immediately available.

Authorities said Gakirah was shot in the upper body. An autopsy is scheduled for later Saturday.

Two men were also wounded in the shooting, authorities said.

Paramedics took a 33-year-old man to Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center in good condition with a gunshot wound to the foot, Fire Media Affairs spokesman Juan Hernandez said.

A 19-year-old man also wounded in the shooting drove himself to the 4700 block of South Wabash Avenue, where paramedics found him and took him to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged in the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Contributing: Sun-Times Media Wire

Gakirah Barnes | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Seven shot dead throughout city

Gakirah Barnes, 17, fatally shot in Woodlawn