Marcus Smith | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 12 people killed in Chicago violence, 13th dies 6 years after being shot in Austin

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:00:42 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Even unseasonably cold weather didn't stop the violence last week in Chicago, where at least 11 people were fatally shot and another man was stabbed to death. A 13th fatality, also linked to gun violence, was a man who died six years after being shot on the West Side.

The latest fatality was man found shot to death Sunday morning in the Marquette Park neighborhood. Officers responding about 11:25 a.m. to a call of a person on the ground found 18-year-old Dennis Bradford III unresponsive in the 6500 block of South Fairfield, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Bradford, who lived in the 6200 block of South Mozart, had suffered gunshot wounds to the head and wrist, and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

A 28-year-old man died Sunday morning after being dropped off at a Far South Side hospital with a gunshot wound to the left hip, according to police.

Marcus Smith arrived at 4:51 a.m. at Roseland Community Hospital at 45 W. 111th St. with a gunshot wound to the torso, according to police and the pmedical examiner's office. Smith, of the 2200 block of Spaulding Avenue in Dixmoor, was pronounced dead at the hospital at 5:05 a.m.

Police are trying to determine where the shooting happened as part of the the homicide investigation.

A 23-year-old woman died Saturday afternoon, about a day after being shot in the head in the West Elsdon neighborhood on the Southwest Side. Lauren Membreno was in the front seat of a parked vehicle about 7 p.m. Friday in the 5500 block of South Karlov when another vehicle pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Membreno—who wasn’t the intended target—was shot in the head and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:37 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. A police source said her boyfriend, who was sitting in the driver's seat, was thought to have been the intended target.

A 65-year-old man was found stabbed to death inside a vehicle early Friday in Belmont Cragin on the Northwest Side. Ramon Ramirez was found unresponsive at 1:02 a.m. in the 5700 block of West Grand Avenue, police and the medical examiner’s office said.

Ramirez, a Mexican immigrant and 40-year city resident, lived on the same block where he died, died from a stab wound to the leg, and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office. His family believes he was killed during a robbery.

A man was shot to death a block from his Austin neighborhood home late Thursday. Officers were called to the 4700 block of West Huron about 11:50 p.m. and found Jonathan B. Sanchez, 23, lying on the sidewalk, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Sanchez, of the 4600 block of West Huron, was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. On Saturday, Decorian Collins, 22; and Lamar Williams, 24, were charged with first-degree murder for shooting Sanchez, according to police. Collins is being held on $1 million and bond was denied for Williams.

Eighteen-year-old Diangelo Black died Saturday night, two days after being critically injured in a Humboldt Park shooting that also claimed the life of 23-year-old Deandre Trotter.

Trotter and Black were standing in the 3400 block of West Chicago at 3:26 p.m. Thursday when two males dressed all in black ran up, opened fire and ran away, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds and were taken to Stroger Hospital.

Trotter was pronounced dead at 4:02 p.m. that day, while Black died at 9:13 p.m. Saturday.

Marvin Lee was shot to death early Thursday outside a bar in Chatham neighborhood. Lee, 30, was inside Murphy's Lounge in the 7600 block of South Cottage Grove about 2:40 a.m. when he got into an argument with two other men, according to authorities and witnesses.

The argument spilled out onto the street, at which point one of the men pulled a gun and shot Lee in the head, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Lee, of the 6100 block of South Michigan Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:52 a.m., according to the medical examiner's office.

A witness said the fight started, and cooled off, inside, and Lee was going over to apologize to the others involved when he was shot.

A man was shot to death Wednesday morning in the North Lawndale neighborhood. Gerwancey Rambus, 40, was sitting in a vehicle in the 1100 block of South Richmond at 11:27 a.m. when someone approached and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Rambus was shot multiple times in the chest, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He lived about two blocks away in the 1100 block of South Mozart.

A man was shot to death early Wednesday outside a restaurant in Austin. Aurelio Guzman, 32, suffered multiple gunshot wounds about 1:45 a.m. in the 4900 block of West Madison, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Guzman, of the 2200 block of North Laverne, was pronounced dead at the scene outside the Whale Fish Shrimp & Chicken restaurant. Witnesses told investigators that another male walked up to the victim and opened fire, then ran away.

A woman was found shot to death in her Avalon Park neighborhood apartment Tuesday night after what may have been a domestic incident. Officers responding about 7:35 p.m. to a call for a well-being check in the 1700 block of East 85th Place found 35-year-old Babette Miller unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

A family member called police when they hadn’t heard from the woman, according to a police source. Miller, who lived in the apartment, was pronounced dead at the scene. No one has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting, but it may have been domestic-related, police said.

A 17-year-old boy died after being shot Monday afternoon in the Norwood Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side. The shooting happened about 1:15 p.m. in a parking lot behind a strip mall in the 5500 block of North Harlem about 1:15 p.m., according to police.

Anthony Heatherly was shot in the chest and was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where he later died, according to police, who said the shooting may have resulted from a drug deal gone bad. A neighbor said the shooting didn't happen in the parking lot, butthe teen was dumped from a car in the parking lot.

Another man died last week of wounds suffered six years ago when he was shot in Austin. Trayon Carson, 38, died at Norwegian American Hospital on Wednesday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

He was shot on April 27, 2010, in the 1600 block of North Menard Avenue, according to police. An autopsy found he died of complications from those gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Eight men died in Chicago, though Easter Sunday did not have a fatal shooting

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:00:01 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

T-shirts were posted on the South and Southeast sides on Sunday, calling on Chicagoans to put away the guns on Easter Sunday. | Facebook

A group of ministers who had called for Easter to be a "day without murder" technically got what they wanted--there were no fatalities among a dozen shootings Sunday; but there were still at least eight men fatally shot last week, including three on Wednesday.

The Rev. Karen Mooney, one of the organizers of the "Thou Shalt Not Murder" campaign, realized it was a start, but not a true victory.

"I find myself grateful that, by grace, no murders happened on Easter Sunday. Twelve people were shot, our victory hollowed, but through the hard work of first responders and medical professionals, no one has died," she posted on the Thou Shalt Not Murder Facebook page.

"For all those who have helped through prayer and work and witness, I am grateful that you brought your talent and time and faith to bring hope into our world. Grateful that memorials were placed, events held, articles written and ideas shared.

"As this new week unfolds my prayer, beyond for a continued time of no murder, is that you find rest and joy abundant," Mooney said.

Organizers say the campaign will continue, with Mother's Day being eyed as a possible future action day.

In the most recent homicide, two men were shot, one fatally, Saturday afternoon in West Englewood. The men, 27 and 28, were in the 7000 block of South Paulina about 2:10 p.m. when two suspects walked up and fired shots before running away, according to Chicago Police. The 28-year-old suffered a graze wound to the head and was treated at the scene.

But Cordero Mosley was shot three times in the right shoulder, once in the left shoulder, once in the back, and once in each leg, authorities said. Mosley, of the 6700 block of South Wood Street, was taken Holy Cross Hospital, where he died at 2:28 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Two more men were shot—again one fatally—inside a bar in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood early Friday. They were inside the 50 Yard Line club near 75th and Michigan a few minutes before 2 a.m. when a fight broke out, someone pulled a gun and they were shot, authorities said.

Andrew Love, 29, was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died at 3:52 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. He lived in the 7300 block of South Peoria. Another man, 32, was shot in the leg and was in serious condition.

One person was taken into custody Friday in connection with the shooting, but has since been released without charges.

An 18-year-old Evanston man was shot to death in Rogers Park on Wednesday afternoon. About 4:15 p.m., Antonio Robert Johnson was outside in the 7400 block of North Ridge when someone walked up and shot him in the head, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Johnson was pronounced dead on the way to a hospital. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 19-year-old man was shot to death early Wednesday in Back of Yards. Officers called to perform a well-being check at 12:24 a.m. in the 5300 block of South Hermitage found Armani Dickinson lying unresponsive in the alley, authorities said.

Dickinson, of the 13000 block of South Ellis, had suffered a gunshot wound to the back of the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Mario Ramirez Jr. was shot to death early Wednesday while driving in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on the West Side. Officers responding to reports of shots fired at 12:08 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Pulaski found the 35-year-old inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound, according to police.

Ramirez, of the 1800 block of North Tripp, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy showed he died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Jarvis Coleman was shot to death Tuesday morning in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. The 24-year-old was standing on the sidewalk in the 0-100 block of North Keeler about 10:15 a.m. when someone walked up and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Coleman, of the 700 block of South Kostner, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His family said he lived in the 4200 block of West Maypole. An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

A man was shot to death Tuesday morning in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. Alcaraz C. Reyes, 34, was shot in the chest at 6:18 a.m. in the 5200 block of South Winchester, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Reyes, who lived on the same block where he was shot, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiner's office.

Marcus Smith was killed in a shooting that left three other people wounded Monday night in West Englewood. The victims were in a car in the 2000 block of West 70th Place at 8:49 p.m. when someone opened fire, authorities said.

Smith, 39, was shot in the back of the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. He lived on the block where the shooting happened. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 38-year-old man suffered three gunshot wounds to the side and one to the arm, and was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital, police said. Two other people, whose ages and genders were not known, were taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment, according to Fire Media Affairs.

The fatal shootings pushed the city homicide total to over 140 less than three months into the year, according to figures compiled by the Chicago Sun-Times Wire.

Marcus Smith killed, three others wounded when gunman opens fire on their car in West Englewood

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:10:36 -0500

A man killed in a shooting that left three other people wounded Monday night in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side has been identified as Marcus Smith.

The victims were traveling westbound in a car in the 2000 block of West 70th Place at 8:49 p.m. when someone opened fire, authorities said.

Smith, 39, was shot in the back of the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:28 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. He lived on the block where the shooting happened.

An autopsy found he died of multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide.

A 38-year-old man suffered three gunshot wounds to the side and one to the left arm, and was taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital, Chicago Police said.

Two other people, whose ages and genders were not known, were taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment, according to Fire Media Affairs.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire