Michael Swift | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 17 die from violence, 7 on Sunday, 2 on front steps of church as services begin

Jeff Mayes — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 10:27:50 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Homicide Watch Chicago

Another 17 people died from violence in Chicago the week of August 7-13, including seven killed on a bloody Sunday that included a triple homicide and a double homicide, one of which is being investigated as a case of self-defense and the other occurring on the front steps of a church as services were getting under way.

Sun-Times file photo by Ashlee Rezin

Celeste “CeCe” Cockriel and her cousins, Narcisco “Kiko” Ledesma and Antonio “AJ” Lopez, were fatally shot at a home in the East Side neighborhood on the Far South Side Sunday. The homeowner who shot them claims they were breaking in and the shootings were in self-defense. Detectives initially questioned that man to confirm the story, but released him without charges on Wednesday, according to Chicago Police.

A police source said the 31-year-old, who has a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card, claimed he shot the three after they broke into his home. Area South detectives continue to investigate the shootings, which were ruled homicides.

Ledesma, 22, of North Austin; Lopez, 17, of East Chicago, Ind.; and Cockriel, 24, of Humboldt Park, all suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the body at 5:30 p.m. in the 10200 block of South Ewing, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

About six hours earlier, two men were killed in a shooting outside a church in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side. Emmanuel Fleming, 34, and Michael Swift, 46, were walking up the front steps of Friendship Baptist Church when they were gunned down in broad daylight, with Fleming’s young children watching.

The shots struck the 34-year-old Fleming, and 46-year-old Swift just outside the church in the 200 block of South Laramie at 11:19 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Inside, the congregation was singing a hymn. Outside, two people wearing bandannas walked up and fired shots, apparently at Fleming, police said.

Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies, and died shortly afterwards at hospitals, authorities said. The shooters then drove away southbound in a silver or gray SUV. Fleming’s three children, all under the age of 10, ran into the church and were not hurt.

In other shootings last week:

A woman was shot to death early Sunday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood on the South Side. Officers responded to a call of shots fired at 12:24 a.m. and found 27-year-old Demica Porter lying on the sidewalk in the 1400 block of West 54th Street, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Porter had been shot in the neck and legs, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she died less than an hour later. She lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.
A man was shot to death Sunday morning in the Uptown neighborhood on the North Side. Levon S. Averhart Jr., 23, was in the 1000 block of West Montrose at 6:52 a.m. when a black vehicle approached and someone wearing a black hooded sweatshirt exited the vehicle and opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Averhart suffered two gunshot wounds to the torso, and was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he died an hour later, authorities said. He lived in Englewood.
A 31-year-old man died Saturday of gunshot wounds he suffered in a Back of the Yards shooting on the Southwest Side a week before. Andres G. Davila was riding in a vehicle at 5:44 a.m. Aug. 5 in the 2200 block of West 51st Street when someone outside the vehicle opened fire, striking him in the head and neck and damaging a rear window, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The driver of the vehicle then took Davila to Holy Cross Hospital, and he was later transferred to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 11:02 p.m. Aug. 12, authorities said. Davila lived a few blocks away from the shooting in the Gage Park neighborhood.
A man was stabbed to death during a fight Saturday night in the Douglas Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side. About 9:10 p.m, 29-year-old Jesus Bernabe was sitting with several other people in an alley in the 2600 block of West 15th Street when he got into a fight with another male, who pulled out a knife and stabbed Bernabe in the chest and neck, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The attacker then ran away. Bernabe was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead half an hour later, authorities said.
A woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds early Saturday in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side. Officers responding to a call of a person down at 4:24 a.m. found 44-year-old Latikiya K. Mcneely with a stab wound to the chest and two to the back in the 7000 block of South Emerald, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
An 86-year-old man was found shot to death Thursday afternoon in his South Side Canaryville neighborhood home. His daughter found Donald "Donnie Mac" McNamara, 86, bleeding from his head just after 4 p.m. in the 4100 block of South Wallace, according to authorities. When paramedics arrived, they found a puncture wound to the back of his head. McNamara was taken to Northwestern Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:31 p.m., according to police and the examiner’s office. An autopsy Friday found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a homicide.
A Vernon Hills man was shot to death during an attempted carjacking early Thursday in the Noble Square neighborhood. About 2:05 a.m., 28-year-old Jesus Angel De La O was dropping off a female acquaintance in the 1200 block of North Greenview when another male exited a white vehicle nearby and attempted to carjack the victim, according to police. He refused to give up his vehicle, a gray Infiniti, and the suspect fired shots, striking him in the torso, police said. He tried to drive away, but crashed into a parked Nissan. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A man was killed and another critically wounded in a shooting Wednesday night in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. About 8:30 p.m., they were standing on the sidewalk in the 6000 block South Maplewood when someone in a dark SUV drove by and fired shots, according to police. Jonathan D. Brown, 25, was shot in the chest and arm, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He lived in Englewood. A 23-year-old man was struck in his left arm and abdomen, and was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
A man was killed in an Austin neighborhood shooting Wednesday afternoon on the West Side. Thaddeus Dean, 26, was standing outside about 3 p.m. on the sidewalk in the 100 block of South Lockwood when someone in a passing vehicle fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Dean suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead half an hour later. He lived in the same neighborhood as the shooting.
A man was shot to death while walking home from his job at a popular West Town bakery early Wednesday. About 2:24 a.m., 49-year-old Aristeo Soriano Pastrana was walking in the 1300 block of West Huron, according to police. Family members said he was returning home from D’Amato Bakery, where he had worked for more than 20 years. As he was walking, a male suspect walked up, pulled out a weapon and shot him, according to police. Police said the victim, known to friends as “Pacuale,” was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy showed he he died of a gunshot wound to the back.
A man was killed and six people, five of whom were women, were wounded in a shooting Tuesday night in the South Side Bronzeville neighborhood. The victims were standing on the sidewalk at 10:37 p.m. in the first block of East 37th Street when a group of males walked up and fired shots from the corner of the block, according to police. Alfred Mitchell Jr., 28, was shot in the back and pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, police and the medical examiner’s office said. He lived in the Fuller Park neighborhood on the South Side.
A 21-year-old woman shot in the left knee, a 28-year-old woman shot in the left leg and a 45-year-old woman shot in the right buttock were all taken to Stroger Hospital, police said. A 46-year-old woman shot in the right leg and a 27-year-old woman shot in the left leg were taken to Mercy Hospital. All of their conditions were stabilized. A seventh victim, a 30-year-old man, suffered gunshot wounds to the right leg and later showed up at Northwestern, police said. His condition was also stabilized.
A man died Monday afternoon, one year after he was wounded in a domestic shooting in the Northwest Side Logan Square neighborhood. Samantha Santiago, 29, was charged July 25 with one count of attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of 36-year-old Lavatus McCullough, according to police and Cook County court records. McCullough was shot in the neck about 1:30 a.m. on July 31, 2016 in the 2000 block of North Kedzie, authorities said. The Near North Side resident died at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn at 1:58 p.m. Monday, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Tuesday found he died of complications of a remote gunshot wound to the neck. Police said the shooting happened during a domestic dispute. Santiago, who lived on the same block as the shooting, is being held at the Cook County Jail on a $950,000 bond.

'Heinous event': Emmanuel Fleming, Michael Swift shot to death on steps of Austin church as service begins

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 09:24:43 -0500

Emmanuel Fleming and Michael Swift were running a little late for services on Sunday morning when the unthinkable happened. Just as the men were walking up the front steps of an Austin neighborhood church, they were gunned down in broad daylight, with Fleming's young children watching.

Church members take part in a prayer vigil outside Friendship Baptist Church in Austin the day after two men were shot to death on the front steps of the church. | Facebook

The shots struck the 34-year-old Fleming, and 46-year-old Swift just outside the Friendship Baptist Church in the 200 block of South Laramie at 11:19 a.m., according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Inside, the congregation was singing a hymn.

Outside, two people wearing bandannas walked up and fired shots, apparently at Fleming, police said.

Both men suffered multiple gunshot wounds to their bodies, authorities said. The shooters then drove away southbound in a silver or gray SUV.

Fleming's three children, all under the age of 10, ran into the church and were not hurt.

Fleming was taken to Stroger Hospital, while Swift was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, authorities said. They were both pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Fleming lived in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side, and Swift lived in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.

One church member wrote on Facebook: "Please keep Dr. Reginald E. Bachus and The Friendship Baptist Church of Chicago in your prayers! The church, which was once touted as the nucleus of the community, has been disrespected, defiled and desecrated! During our 11am Worship, while the deacons led devotion, two men, a member and a visitor, were gunned down on the steps of our church. While today's incident happened at Friendship Baptist Church, the long term effects impact our entire city; a city that appears to be anesthetized to the hatred, crime, violence, and murder that plagues it."

Witnesses said Fleming was a longtime member of the congregation, and also served as an usher at the church. Swift, his friend, had come with him for the Sunday services.

Pastor Michael V. Johnson of Armour of God Ministries called the shooting almost inhumane.

He wrote on Facebook that his congregation "extends our deepest expressions of consolation to Rev. Reginald Bachus and the Friendship Baptist Church Family, as they recover from the heinous event that took place at their church on Sunday. The world seems a little less human when people are so driven by the evil within them, that they would gun down Christians on the steps of the Church."

Police released this surveillance photo of the suspected getaway car in the fatal shooting of two men outside an Austin church on Sunday morning. | Chicago Police

Police on Monday released a surveillance photo of the vehicle seen driving away from the scene, believed to be either a silver or grey Toyota Rav4. Anyone recognizing the vehicle is asked to call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8261.

In a post on its Facebook page, the church urged calm: "Lord, we pray for those who have been devastated by recent tragedies. We remember those who have lost their lives so suddenly. We hold in our hearts the families forever changed by grief and loss. Bring them consolation and comfort. Surround them with our prayers for strength. Bless those who have survived and heal their memories of trauma and devastation. May they have the courage to face the days ahead.

"Help us to respond with generosity in prayer, in assistance, and in comfort to the best of our abilities. Keep our hearts focused on the needs of all the community."

The church will have trauma counselors available at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and all parents, youth and church members are urged to attend to "being the healing process."

Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin took part in an anti-violence march Monday night in response to the shootings.

--Homicide Watch Chicago