Comment of the Day: "Rest East Big Josh. Gone Too Soon"

Michael Lansu — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:58:02 -0600

Joshua Rockett, 21, was fatally shot last week in the Washington Heights community. Reader "Katelyn S." posted this about him:

Rest East Big Josh. Gone Too Soon ♥

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:19:07 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

The city began the week with its longest murder-free stretch of the year, but the week ended with six people dying from gunshot wounds over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Four people were fatally shot on Black Friday -- the busiest shopping day of the year. At least 15 other people were wounded by gunfire over the four-day weekend, police said.

The most recent killing happened when police found 22-year-old Darnell Williams shot in the back in the 7200 block of South Vincennes Avenue in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood about 3:10 p.m., police said.

Williams, of the 600 block of West Cermack Road, died about two hours later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which has not yet released his name.

On Friday, 22-year-old Nordstrom employee Nadia Ezaldein was shot inside the store near East Grand and North Michigan Avenues about 8:30 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Ezaldein's ex-boyfriend, 31-year-old Marcus Dee, walked into the accessories department where Ezaldein was a season worker, the two “exchanged words” then he shot her, authorities say.

Ezaledin, a student at the University of Chicago, died the next day at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, her family said.

In the Little Village neighborhood, 18-year-old Oscar Garcia was standing in the 2500 block of South Central Park Avenue when he was shot in the head about 11 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Garcia, of the 2800 block of South Millard Avenue, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office.

In the Washington Heights community, police found 21-year-old Joshua Rockett shot in the back in the 9000 block of South Laflin Street about 7:35 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Rockett, of the 9200 block of South Wallace Street, died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Chicago Lawn community, 15-year-old Jahakel Clark was shot in the head in the 3100 block of West 64th Street about 3:30 p.m. and died at the scene, authorities said. Two other boys, 14 and 16, were wounded but survived, police said.

The killing started when a bullet came through the window of Leroy Stinson's home in the 2100 block of West Garfield Boulevard in the Back of the Yards community and struck him in the head about 10:50 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Stinson, 50, died at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood about 11:50 p.m. Thursday, according to the medical examiner's office.

Stinson was the first person killed in Chicago since early Nov. 22. Based on time of death, it is the longest murder-free stretch in the city this year, just hours longer than a stretch Feb. 15-20.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 405 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 14 people killed by police.

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

Joshua Rockett fatally shot in Washington Heights

Michael Lansu — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 23:25:39 -0600

Joshua Rockett was found shot to death in the Washington Heights community Friday night.

Police found Joshua Rockett, 21, shot in the back in the 9000 block of South Laflin Street about 7:35 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Rockett, of the 9200 block of South Wallace Street, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Joshua Rockett | Homicide Watch Chicago

Comment of the Day: "Rest East Big Josh. Gone Too Soon"

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six shot dead throughout Chicago

Joshua Rockett fatally shot in Washington Heights