WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine killed in violence across the city, four in first two days of holiday weekend

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 31 May 2016 16:00:17 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Chicago Sun-Times file photo

At least nine people were killed in violecne last week in Chicago, including four in the first three days of a violent Memorial Day weekend, which saw nearly 70 people shot across the city.

Garvin Whitmore was shot to death Saturday evening in the Fuller Park neighborhood. The 27-year-old was sitting in a vehicle with his fiancee about 5:20 p.m. in the 200 block of West Root when someone walked up and shot him in the head, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The woman then got out and fired shots as the shooter ran away, police said. No one else was injured.

Whitmore, of the 5800 block of West 63rd Place, was pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner’s office said.

His fiancee, 26-year-old Ashley Harrison of Aurora, was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon without an FOID card, according to police. She was ordered held on a $250,000 bond.

No one is in custody for the murder.

A 23-year-old man was shot to death in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side on Saturday morning. Damien Cionzynski got into a fight with two other males inside a business about 5:15 a.m. in the 6300 block of West Montrose, police and the medical examiner’s office said.

Cionzynski was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. He lived in northwest suburban Harwood Heights.

A 15-year-old girl was killed and a man wounded in a shooting on Lake Shore Drive in Lincoln Park early Saturday, police said.

Veronica Lopez and a 28-year-old man were in a vehicle in the 2400 block of North Lake Shore Drive just before 1:30 a.m. when a black Nissan pulled alongside and someone inside opened fire, authorities said.

They took themselves to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, but the girl was later transferred to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.

The man was shot in the arm and suffered a graze wound to the head, police said. His condition had stabilized.

Mark Lindsey was fatally shot late Friday in the Ashburn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. Just before 11 p.m., the 25-year-old was sitting in a vehicle parked in the 3700 block of West 75th Place when a gunman walked up and opened fire, authorities said.

Lindsey, shot repeatedly across the chest and body, tried to drive away, but crashed into another vehicle on the block, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.

Two men were shot, one fatally, Friday afternoon in Englewood. The men were sitting on a porch just after 2:30 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Loomis when someone ran out of a gangway and began shooting at the pair, according to police.

The older man, identified as 39-year-old Shawn Ewing, was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at the scene at 2:50 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived on the same block where the shooting happened.

A 26-year-old man was shot in the right leg and lower back, and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

Kevin Larry was shot to death Friday morning in the Washington Park neighborhood on the South Side.

The 22-year-old was found unresponsive near 56th and Wabash about 7:30 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He lived in the 6100 block of South Cottage Grove.

A 22-year-old man was found stabbed to death early Friday in Englewood. Marshawn A. Cooper was found in the driver’s seat of a car in the 7200 block of South Aberdeen about 12:15 a.m. Friday, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Cooper, of the 3600 block of West 120th Street in Alsip, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of a stab wound to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide.

One man was killed and another wounded in a shooting at Powell’s Barber Shop, a staple in the Englewood neighborhood, on Thursday afternoon. The men, ages 36 and 38, were inside the shop in the 1100 block of West 63rd Street at 3:11 p.m. when another male outside fired shots into the establishment, according to police.

Thirty-eight-year-old Gerald Sias suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He lived in the 7200 block of South Carpenter.

The younger man was shot in the leg and was also taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

The week's first homicide involved an 18-year-old man who was shot to death in the Washington Park neighborhood Tuesday night. Trevonne Austin was in an alley in the 5700 block of South Calumet about 8:10 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Trevonne, of the 7900 block of South Aberdeen, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the trunk, according to the medical examiner’s office. His death was ruled a homicide.

Gerald Sias killed, second man wounded in shooting inside Powell's Barber Shop in Englewood

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 27 May 2016 11:24:46 -0500

By ANDY GRIMM and ASHLEE REZIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Violence erupted inside Powell's Barbershop, an institution in Englewood. l;eaving one man dead and another injured Thursday afternoon. | Andy Grimm/For Sun-Times

Gerald Sias was killed and another man wounded in a shooting at Powell’s Barber Shop, a staple in the Englewood neighborhood, on Thursday afternoon.

The men were inside the shop in the 1100 block of West 63rd Street at 3:11 p.m. when a male suspect outside fired shots into the establishment, according to Chicago Police.

The 38-year-old Sias suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:15 p.m., according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

A relative said Sias, of the Gerald Sias, of the 7200 block of South Carpenter, was the father of five children, several of whom he brought to Powell’s regularly for trims.

A crowd gathers around Sunni Powell, center, in a black T-shirt, after two men were shot inside his well-known barbershop. | Andy Grimm/For Sun-TImes

“He was laid-back, just a nice, quiet man,” said Latanya Johnson, the aunt of Sias’ 8-year-old son. “I was shocked when I heard. If (police) are out there trying to say he was a bad person, they’re lying.”

The younger man, 36, was shot in the leg and was also taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, according to Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Walter Schroeder.

Owner Sunni Powell said he was shocked by the shooting inside his shop, and that the shooter and the slain man weren’t regular customers.

The shop, tucked in the corner of a busy strip mall at 63rd and Racine, has become a neighborhood hub since it opened six years ago.

Powell has become well known for offering free cuts to CPS students at the start of the school year, and hosting community meetings and events. His shop was featured in a scene in Spike Lee’s movie “Chi-Raq.”

Powell said he’s never had any similar violence inside his shop.

“We’re going to keep doing what we do, and being a positive force in the community,” Powell said as he slumped in a chair inside the fish and chicken joint next door to his shop.

“This isn’t about to shut us down.”

Gerald Sias | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine killed in violence across the city, four in first two days of holiday weekend

Gerald Sias killed, second man wounded in shooting inside Powell's Barber Shop in Englewood