$2.5 million bond for man charged with shooting Rashawn Gooden Jr. outside Austin convenience store

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 13 May 2016 15:24:59 -0500

By LUKE WILUSZ
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Michael Dukes | Chicago Police

Bond was set at $2.5 million Friday for a man charged with shooting Rashawn Gooden Jr. to death in February outside a convenience store in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

Michael Dukes, 21, is charged with one count of first-degree murder for shooting the 22-year-old on the morning of Feb. 16, authorities said.

He was in a convenience store in the 4900 block of West Division about 9 a.m. that day when Gooden walked in and bought a drink, according to Cook County prosecutors. As Gooden was leaving the store, he said something to Dukes.

Dukes followed Gooden out and fired at him about six times while standing in the store’s doorway, prosecutors said. He then ran westbound on Division.

Rashawn Gooden Jr.

Gooden, who lived in the 4800 block of West Augusta, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:38 a.m., Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Investigators found six spent .45-caliber shell casings at the scene of the shooting, according to court documents.

The next day, a witness overheard Dukes admit he shot Gooden while talking on his cellphone. After the phone conversation, he tried to sell or trade a .45-caliber handgun to a witness.

Dukes, who lives in the 5000 block of West Crystal, is also charged with a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession between 2.5 and 10 grams.

Cook County Circuit Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil ordered him held on a $2.5 million bond Friday.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine killed in Chicago violence; man missing for two months found fatally shot

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 16:00:57 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least nine people were killed in violence in Chicago last week, though one of the deaths is being treated an accident; and the body of a 10th victim was found after he'd been missing by his family for almost two months.

A 33-year-old man died Sunday morning, about 12 hours after being shot in a drive-by in the Chatham neighborhood. Carlos James Hemphill Jr. was critically injured in a shooting in the 8100 block of South Harvard about 10 p.m. Saturday, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner's office. He was taken in critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died at 10:26 a.m. Sunday.

One man was killed and another wounded in a Chatham neighborhood shooting early Sunday. The men, both 25, were at a party in the 600 block of East 79th Street about 2:30 a.m. when a fight broke out and someone opened fire, according to police.

Raheem L. Robinson was shot in the abdomen and died at a hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office. He lived in the 400 block of West 103rd Street.

The other man was shot in the right shoulder and his condition was stabilized, police said.

A 34-year-old man who police called a felon and a gang members man has been charged with the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend during an argument Saturday night in Bridgeport.

Maurisio Hernandez, 34, was charged with first-degree murder for the stabbing of 35-year-old Maricela Villegas during a domestic fight in the 2800 block of South Short Street shortly before 6 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Villegas diedof a stab wound to the neck minutes later at a hospital.

Police said Hernandez was taken into custody at the scene, and was scheduled to appear in court Monday.

A man was fatally shot in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood late Friday. Terrell Sykes, 20, was standing in the street in the 8500 block of South Hermitage about 11:20 p.m. when he heard gunshots and felt pain, according to the medical examiner’s office and police.

Sykes, who lived on the same block, was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where was pronounced dead an hour later.

An 18-year-old man was shot to death Saturday afternoon in the Washington Park neighborhood. Brian Johnson showed up at Provident Hospital about 3 p.m. with a gunshot wound to the head after being attacked in the 300 block of East 56th Street, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was later transferred to Stroger Hospital, where died at 6:15 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said. Johnson wasn’t able to communicate with investigators and additional details on the shooting weren’t available.

Richard Thrasher was fatally shot Thursday morning in Austin. The 28-year-old was found at unresponsive on the sidewalk about 8:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of North Lavergne, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Thrasher, of the 4900 block of West Thomas, suffered gunshot wounds to the head and arm, and was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital.

A 20-year-old woman was killed when a gun “accidentally discharged” Wednesday night in Auburn Gresham, according to police. Tiana Brown of southwest suburban Bridgeview was in the 7800 block of South Honore about 10 p.m. A man was showing her a weapon that “accidentally discharged” and struck her in the head, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Brown was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the shooting was an accident, but an autopsy Thursday ruled her death a homicide. No one was in custody, police said.

Jonathan Luna was shot to death Tuesday evening in Pilsen. The 28-year-old was outside in the 1700 block of West Cermak Road at 6:48 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him in his chest and side, according to police.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

The body of a 23-year-old man reported missing nearly two months ago was found in a South Side park Tuesday afternoon and an autopsy showed he'd been shot to death.

The body of Iaron Brooks was found on abandoned railroad property near Avalon Park in the 1200 block of East 83rd Street, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. A police source said it appeared the body had been there for some time.

A missing person alert had been issued for Brooks on Jan. 6 after he was last seen Dec. 22. An autopsy showed he had been shot several times, but where and when the shooting happened was unknown.

A 21-year-old man was shot to death Tuesday morning in Austin. Rashawn Gooden Jr. was exiting a business in the 4900 block of West Division at 9:05 a.m. when several shots were fired, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Gooden, of the 4800 block of West Augusta Boulevard, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died 30 minutes later.

Rashawn Gooden fatally shot in the back while walking out of a business in Austin

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:14:13 -0600

Rashawn Gooden Jr. was coming out of a business Tuesday morning in the Austin neighborhood when he was fatally shot.

The 21-year-old Gooden was exiting a business in the 4900 block of West Division at 9:05 a.m. when several shots were fired, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Gooden, of the 4800 block of West Augusta Boulevard, was shot multiple times in the back, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:38 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Rashawn Gooden Jr. | Homicide Watch Chicago

$2.5 million bond for man charged with shooting Rashawn Gooden Jr. outside Austin convenience store

WEEK IN REVIEW: Nine killed in Chicago violence; man missing for two months found fatally shot

Rashawn Gooden fatally shot in the back while walking out of a business in Austin