Man charged with fatally shooting Samuel Rockett, wounding roommate during argument in Austin apartment

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 16:13:13 -0600

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Jordan Scott | Chicago Police

A man has been charged with killing one roommate, Samuel Michael Rockett Jr., and wounding another in a shooting two months ago in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

Jordan Scott, 26, faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.

About 3:30 a.m. Oct. 3, a 26-year-old man woke up on a couch in his apartment in the 100 block of North Central and heard arguing and yelling coming from a bedroom, according to prosecutors.

He heard Scott, whose nickname is “Peanut,” demand money, prosecutors said. Then he heard his roommate, the 33-year-old Rockett, tell Scott something to the effect of, “It didn’t have to be that way.”

Samuel Michael Rockett Jr. | photo provided

The man then heard gunshots, prosecutors said. He tried to get up from the couch when Scott and another person entered the room, but Scott shot him in the hand, face and body.

Rockett, known to friends as Mike, was shot in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. The 26-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, and remained in a coma for two months, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Scott had known Rockett and the other victim since high school, and they had been in regular contact before the night of the murder.

Cellphone records showed Scott and Rockett exchanged text messages saying Scott would be coming over to play dice just before the shooting, prosecutors said. The records also show Rockett’s phone was near the victims’ apartment at the time of the shooting.

Scott, of the 5500 block of West LeMoyne, was ordered held on a $1.5 million bond Wednesday.

WEEK IN REVIEW: 14 killed in Chicago, including woman holding her baby; and woman stabbed by ex-boyfriend

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 12:24:59 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

At least 14 people were killed in violence in Chicago last week, including two women, one of whom was fatally stabbed by her ex-boyfriend in a murder-suicide, and the other who was an innocent bystander caught in gang crossfire.

The deadly week brought the homicide total for Chicago to more than 580 so far this year, according to unoffical totals from the Chicago Sun-Times Wire. Last year there were about 430 homicides through this point in the year.

One of the week's most shocking killings was the death of 21-year-old Adrianna Mayes, killed when caught in an exchange of gunfire while standing outside her home with her 14-month-old daughter in her arms in Roseland. They were struck when two groups of males exchanged gunfire about 2 p.m. at 106th and State, according to Chicago Police.

Mayes was shot in her left side and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead less than an hour later, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Mayes, not believed to be a target of the shooting, lived on the same block where she was shot.

A 22-year-old man was also shot, police said. He took himself to Roseland Community Hospital with a gunshot wound to the left hand, and was listed in good condition. The baby was not injured.

Another woman was killed when her 35-year-old ex-boyfriend fatally stabbed her before jumping to his death Friday evening in the Prairie Shores neighborhood on the South Side. About 7 p.m., Rodney Alan Harvey Jr. confronted Julia Martin, 28, when she returned to her home in the 3000 block of South King Drive.

He stabbed her repeatedly, then jumped from a window of the building, police said. Both were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Harvey was pronounced dead at 7:18 p.m. and Martin at 7:37 p.m., authorities said. Autopsies ruled Martin’s death a homicide and Harvey’s death a suicide. Fridans said Martin had recently broekn off the couple's engagement.
A 22-year-old man found fatally shot in the East Garfield Park neighborhood Sunday night. Kewon D. Vilella was found at 7:54 p.m. on a porch in the 3900 block of West Gladys with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to police and the medical examiner's office. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 30 minutes later.
One man was killed and another wounded in a shooting in the Austin neighborhood Sunday night. The two were in a vehicle at 9:08 p.m., stopped at a stop sign in the 1700 block of North Mayfield, when a group of males on foot began shooting, according to police.
A 22-year-old man, identified as Raheem Dismukes, was shot in the face and back, and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office. A 24-year-old man was shot in the elbow, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition.
A northwest Indiana man died after he was shot during an argument early Sunday in Little Village. About 4:20 a.m., Rolando Gamino, 30, was in an argument with another man in the 3100 block of South Central Park when the suspect pulled out a handgun and opened fire, police and the medical examiner’s office said. Gamino, of East Chicago, was shot in the chest and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died about five hours later.
Victor Sanjuanero was killed and another man wounded in a shooting early Sunday just two blocks from his home in Back of the Yards. At 3:58 a.m., the men were standing in the street in the 4800 block of South Bishop when someone in a vehicle fired shots, according to police. Sanjuanero, 25, was shot in the armpit and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead 90 minutes later. A 32-year-old man was shot in the right leg and buttocks, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized.
A man died about eight hours after he was shot Saturday afternoon in the East Garfield Park neighborhood. Martell Rhodes was walking in the 3800 block of West Huron about 1:35 p.m. when someone fired shots from a dark vehicle, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Rhodes was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:25 p.m.
Jacory Jones was killed and another man, who was aboard a CTA bus, was wounded in a shooting Friday afternoon in the North Austin neighborhood. Jones, 20, was walking in the 1500 block of North Leclaire at 12:36 p.m. when someone walked up and fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was shot in the neck and leg, and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A 57-year-old man riding a CTA bus was shot in the back and was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.
Miguel A. Ramirez was shot while driving Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. The 23-year-old was driving at 2:53 p.m. in the 3200 block of West 64th Street when someone on the street opened fire, according to police. He was shot in the head, and crashed his vehicle into a stop sign at 64th Place and Kedzie, where the vehicle flipped over. Ramirez was taken to Christ Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about four hours later, according to the medical examiner's office.
A 25-year-old man was shot to death early Wednesday in the Gresham neighborhood. Antonio N. Lee was found lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the face at 2:34 a.m. in the 8000 block of South Marshfield, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene.
A south suburban man was shot to death Tuesday night while driving in the Chatham neighborhood. Tyrone White, 42, was driving in the 7700 block of South Calumet about 10:35 p.m. when a male suspect fired shots from the sidewalk, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. White, of the 7800 block of Mason Avenue in Burbank, was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
Said E. Hayik of west suburban Cicero was found shot to death Tuesday morning in the Washington Heights neighborhood. The 25-year-old was seen lying in a gangway with a gunshot wound to the back of the head at 92nd and Bishop at 7:35 a.m., according to police. Police said it appeared he had been there for some time.
Two men were shot, one fatally, early Monday in Austin. At 3:34 a.m., 32-year-old Samuel Michael Rockett Jr. was shot in the head and a 26-year-old man suffered three shots to the neck, chest and jaw, in the 100 block of North Central Avenue, according to authorities. Rockett was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. The younger man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said.

Adding to the week's homicide total was the death of a third person from injuries suffered in an August arson fire at a Back of the Yards neighborhood home. Danny Darling, 58, was pronounced dead at 11:15 a.m. Saturday at Stroger Hospital from injuries suffered in the Aug. 27 fire at his home in the 5400 block of South Laflin, according to the Chicago Fire Department and medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died of complications from thermal injuries in a house fire, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Two more people were found dead after the fire was extinguished about 2 a.m., fire officials said at the time. They were identified as 61-year-old Tommie Darling, who also lived in the home; and 55-year-old Doris Anderson. Autopsies did not rule on their causes or manners of death, with results pending further studies.

Investigators with CPD’s Bomb and Arson Unit determined someone intentionally started the fire, and have classified the case as a homicide investigation. No one was in custody.

Samuel Rockett Jr. shot to death, second man critically wounded in Austin shooting

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 16:20:17 -0500

Samuel Michael Rockett Jr. was killed and another man injured in a shooting early Monday in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

At 3:34 a.m., the 32-year-old Rockett was shot in the head and a 26-year-old man suffered three gunshot wounds to the neck, chest and jaw in the 100 block of North Central Avenue, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Rockett was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:06 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office. He lived in the 100 bock of Bellwood Avenue in west suburban Bellwood.

The younger man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said.

Officers could be seen going in and out of the apartment building where the shooting occurred, while one officer with a camera walked around the building shooting video. No one was in custody as of Tuesday evening.

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Samuel Michael Rockett Jr. | Homicide Watch Chicago

Man charged with fatally shooting Samuel Rockett, wounding roommate during argument in Austin apartment

WEEK IN REVIEW: 14 killed in Chicago, including woman holding her baby; and woman stabbed by ex-boyfriend

Samuel Rockett Jr. shot to death, second man critically wounded in Austin shooting