Joseph Lewis | Homicide Watch Chicago

Father: Joseph Lewis 'was just learning the philosophy of life and making wise decisions'

Michael Lansu — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:00:21 -0600

Joseph Lewis / Family photo

BY KENNY NGUYEN AND CHANTELLE NAVARRO
Homicide Watch Chicago

Joseph Lewis was working his way up at a remodeling company, and considered going back to school to study engineering to advance his career, family said.

"He was hired at Frank Gibson’s [Total Remodeling & Design] as a beginner. He probably didn’t know how to hold a hammer right, but he got the job, was put to work and he picked it up easily," said Lewis' father, Bernard Lewis. "He was interested in engineering. He knew that was a big challenge because it involved a lot of math."

Joseph Lewis, 23, will never get the chance to go back to school after he was fatally shot Aug. 25 in the 5000 block of South Winchester Avenue in the Back of the Yards community, authorities said.

Joseph Lewis was on his way to work when he was shot in the abdomen during a drive-by shooting, according to his father, who said his son tried to run away, but the attackers exited the vehicle and kept shooting.

Joseph Lewis was on his way to work when he was shot, according to his father, who believes gang members mistook his son for somebody else.

"This other kid and my son both looked like Sean Paul, and they resembled each other in height and stature," Bernard Lewis said. "I’ve seen this kid before in the neighborhood going in and out of the stores. They were after him -- not my son."

When he wasn't working, Joseph Lewis enjoyed singing and listening to rap music, his father said.

"He considered himself a wannabe rapper. He liked to take lyrics and twist them," his father said. "I would be sleeping in the basement and he would be singing upstairs ... I kind of chuckled to myself."

Before taking the remodeling job, Joseph Lewis attended Tilden Career Academy High School, where he was an average student who made youthful mistakes, his father said.

Joseph Lewis / Photo from Facebook

"Joseph made mistakes in his younger life, but he was always raised right and found his religion in God and Christ," his father said.

Bernard Lewis said he often talked with his son about his path in life.

"He liked the conversations we would have because it helped him make wise decisions along the way," Bernard Lewis said. "Most of our conversations were about second chances, his moral values, principles, family matters and religious talks. He and I always had conversations, and this is one thing I will miss about him."

In addition to his father, Joseph Lewis is survived by three brothers and four sisters. The family has been homeless the past two months after their home of 23 years caught fire, Bernard Lewis said.

“Joseph was a good kid, son, and had a good heart. He was just learning the philosophy of life and making wise decisions,” his father said.

Nobody has been charged for the Murder. Area Central detectives are investigating.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine murdered throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 10:56:07 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Nine people were murdered throughout Chicago last week, including two beating deaths and one fatal stabbing.

Both of the beatings happened over the holiday weekend, when three people were shot to death and at least 33 others were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent murder happened when a 29-year-old man was shot in the 7400 block of North Ridge Avenue in the Roger Park community about 8:45 p.m. Sunday, authorities said. His name was not yet released.

In the Little Village neighborhood, 23-year-old Victor Ramirez was beaten then run over by a car in the 4100 block of West 26th Street about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Ramirez, of the 3000 block of West 41st Street, later died at an area hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled the death a homicide.

On Saturday, two males beat a 59-year-old homeless man to death in the 1900 block of North Ridgeway Avenue about 10:50 p.m., authorities said. An autopsy on the unidentified man is scheduled for Tuesday.

In the Morgan Park community, 34-year-old Darius Sept was shot in the abdomen in the 10900 block of South Racine Avenue about 12:30 a.m., authorities said.

Sept, of the 1100 block of West 107th Street, died about five hours later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Back of the Yards neighborhood, police found 36-year-old Johnny White shot on a sidewalk in the 5400 block of South Damen Avenue about 10:45 p.m. Friday, police said. White, of the 7600 block of South Carpenter Street, later died at Christ Medical Center.

On Wednesday, 34-year-old Antonio Hobson was sitting in a garage in the 1800 block of South Fairfield Avenue in North Lawndale when a car drove past and someone inside opened fire about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Hobson, of the 1600 block of South Komensky Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital about two hours later, authorities said.

In the Albany Park neighborhood, 38-year-old Erenbira Pimentel-Hernandez was stabbed multiple times in a stairwell in the 4700 block of North Lawndale Avenue about 8:20 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Hernandez, of the 5000 block of West Grand Avenue, died later that day at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office. Police said the attack was domestic related.

On Tuesday, 29-year-old Arthur Shanklin was shot multiple times in the 6700 block of South Parnell Avenue in West Englewood about 1:20 a.m., authorities said. Shanklin, of 1000 block of East 76th Street, died at the scene.

The slayings started early Monday when 23-year-old Joseph Lewis was shot in the 5000 block of South Winchester Avenue in the New City community just before 9 a.m., authorities said.

Lewis, of the 3500 block of West 60th Place, died less than an hour later at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office. A 17-year-old boy was also wounded during the shooting.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 279 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 11 people killed by police.

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

Comment of the Day: "It's still hard to believe that over 24 hours ago somebody took [you] from us"

Michael Lansu — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 16:15:40 -0500

Joseph Lewis was fatally shot early Monday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Reader "Gangster C-4" posted this about him:

THUG, I WATCHED U GROW UP BRO. I"VE KNOW U AND YOUR FAMILY SINCE 1993. ME AND GEEZY WAS 7. AND U WERE STILL IN THE STROLLER, LOL! AND IT"S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY WITH U. IT'S STILL HARD TO BELIEVE THAT OVER 24 HOURS AGO, SOMEBODY TOOK U FROM US. BUT, U KNOW THAT KARMA COMES RIGHT BACK AROUND. AND SOMETIMES WORST!!!! GOD BLESS U AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY. WATCH DOWN WITH GOD AND KEEP US GOIN" THE RIGHT WAY. I LOVE U LIL" BRO. SAVE ME A SPOT IN HOYNE STREET HEAVEN AND I"LL SEE U WHEN I GET THERE. HOYNE AVENUE INSANE TO THE MEMBRANE!!! REST IN PARADISE JOSEPH "THUG" LEWIS FREE MIKKE GEEZY

Joseph Lewis killed in Back of the Yards shooting

Michael Lansu — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 20:10:36 -0500

Joseph Lewis was killed in a Back of the Yards shooting that also left a teenage boy critically injured early Monday.

Lewis, 23, and the 17-year-old boy were shot in the 5000 block of South Winchester Avenue just before 9 a.m., authorities said.

Lewis, of the 3500 block of West 60th Place, died less than an hour later at Holy Cross Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The teenager was taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, police said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area Central detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire