Silvestre Mejia Jr. | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least 17 people killed in Chicago, capped by bloody weekend during which more than 60 shot

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 15:04:50 -0500

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Chicago Police marker to a gun casing (top right) work the crime scene Tuesday afternoon in the 7000 block of south Rockwell reports of three people shot. | Scott Stewart~Sun-TimesChicago Police work the crime scene Tuesday afternoon in the 7000 block of south Rockwell reports of three people shot. | Scott Stewart~Sun-Times

While protesters continued to march across the city last week in response to the killings of black men by police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota, at least 17 people died as there was no let-up in the violence in Chicago.

The bloody week was capped by a violent weekend during which 59 people were shot, seven of them fatally. Sunday alone saw 33 people shot, five of them fatally, marking the single bloodiest day in Chicago since July 5, 2015, when 34 people were shot.

One man was killed and another injured in a shooting Sunday night in the Austin neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 7:40 p.m. in the 500 block of North Lavergne found the men, both 20, with gunshot wounds inside an SUV about four blocks south, in the 100 block of North Lavergne, according to Chicago Police. Police said the driver of the SUV appeared to have run away.
Carlos Harding, of the 4900 block of West Superior, was shot in the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The other man was also taken to Stroger with a gunshot wound to the leg, police said. His condition was stabilized.
An 18-year-old northwest Indiana man was killed in an Englewood neighborhood shooting Sunday morning. Officers responded at 11:25 a.m. to a shooting in the 5700 block of South Union, where Chureno Gatewood had been shot in the upper chest, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Gatewood was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He lived in the 300 block of Madison Street in Gary, Indiana.
A 38-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday morning in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. About 4:45 a.m., Raygene Jackson got into a fight with someone who then pulled a gun and shot him in the back of the head in the 4500 block of West Maypole, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Jackson was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died about eight hours later, authorities said.
One teenager was killed and another wounded in a shooting early Sunday in the Kenwood neighborhood on the South Side. The teens were walking in the alley about 12:50 a.m. in the 4700 block of South Ellis when a red minivan pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to police. A 15-year-old, identified as Trevon D. Smith, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office. The other boy, 16, suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and was taken to a hospital in serious condition, police said.
Rachee Williams was found fatally shot Saturday night in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood. Officers were called about a person on the ground in the 5100 block of South Calumet about 11 p.m. and found the 23-year-old Williams lying in a vacant lot, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide. Police said a weapon was recovered at the scene.
Loyd Daniel was fatally shot Saturday night in Austin. About 8:45 p.m., the 19-year-old Daniel was driving in the 4900 block of West Augusta when shots rang out and he suffered three gunshot wounds to the shoulder and side, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died about four hours later, authorities said.
A drunk driver is facing several charges after his passenger was killed in a crash with a U.S. Postal Service truck early Saturday in West Garfield Park. Jimmy Payton, 27, was charged with reckless homicide, two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing death, and two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing bodily harm, all felonies, according to police. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of DUI and cited for disobeying a red light.
The crash happened about 3:20 a.m. in the 3800 block of West Congress when Payton failed to stop his SUV at a red light and collided with the truck, police said. His passenger, 31-year-old Sydni Murray of Bensenville, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Both drivers were taken to Stroger Hospital, where Payton was listed in critical condition and the postal truck driver’s condition was stabilized, police said. Payton was ordered held on a $275,000 bond.
Another 19-year-old man was shot to death Friday afternoon, also in Austin. Bryan Cooley was a passenger in a vehicle about 3 p.m. in the 600 block of South Cicero when another vehicle approached, and someone inside opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The driver took Cooley to Loretto Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:22 p.m., authorities said.
Sixty-year-old Clarence Jones died Thursday night, more than two weeks after he was shot in Roseland, and two men are in custody for the attack. Jones was in the 11400 block of South Stewart about 2:40 p.m. June 27 when a vehicle approached and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.
He was shot in the back, and was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died Thursday, authorities said. An autopsy showed he died of complications from a gunshot wound to the torso.

Two men were arrested the night of the shooting, police said. Shelby Turner, 22, and Gary Johnson, 21, were initially charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and attempted first-degree murder, police said, but charges may be upgraded. Johnson is being held on $750,000, and Turner was ordered held without bond.
A 25-year-old man was found dead early Thursday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, and an autopsy showed he had been shot in the neck. Officers responding to a call of a person down in the 3200 block of West Washington at 1:59 a.m. found Christopher H. Roberson on the sidewalk with trauma to the back of his head, according to authorities. Roberson was pronounced dead at the scene.
A gas station clerk was shot to death early Thursday outside a Park Manor neighborhood station. The 45-year-old man was arguing with a male about 12:40 a.m. in the Citgo parking lot in the 6600 block of South State when shots were fired, according to police.
Marwan Mahmoud Sadeq was shot in the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:01 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Another employee of the station said Sadeq had moved to Chicago from Yemen, and had worked at the station for about two months.
A former Chicago resident who was living in Texas was shot to death Wednesday night in the West Pullman neighborhood. Anthony Thomas, 32, was walking in the 12100 block of South Throop when someone fired at him about 8:30 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. Thomas, of Orange, Texas, was shot in the face and head, and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
Kenshon Ward was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. The 21-year-old was found unresponsive at 3:44 p.m. in the 2600 block of West 64th with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy showed Ward, who lived about four blocks from the murder scene in the 6400 block of South Campbell, died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Two men were shot to death Tuesday night in Englewood. Officers responding about 10:50 p.m. to a call of a person shot in the 6000 block of South Carpenter found one man lying in the street and another man unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a gray car, according to police. Both men had been shot in the head, and both were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
One of the men was identified as 34-year-old Rodney Wayne Phillips Orr of the 6100 block of South Cottage Grove, according to the medical examiner’s office. The second man was identified as Daniel Watkins, 28, of the 7800 block of South Eberhart. Autopsies showed both died of multiple gunshot wounds.
A 17-year-old boy was shot to death Tuesday morning in the Morgan Park neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired at 11:42 a.m. in the 10900 block of South Peoria found James R. Moore with multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a home, according to authoritiers. Moore was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 30-year-old man died Monday, a week after he was shot in the Little Village neighborhood. Silvestre Mejia Jr. was driving about 12:45 a.m. July 4 in the 2300 block of South Washtenaw when he was shot in the back of the head, according to police. His vehicle then crashed into two parked vehicles. Mejia was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said. He was pronounced dead at 12:58 p.m. Monday. An autopsy Wednesday showed he died of a gunshot wound to the head.
A 33-year-old woman was stabbed to death Monday during a domestic-related argument in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Shemeki Heard was stabbed in the neck during an argument with a man in the 5000 block of South East End about 6:10 a.m., according to police. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she later died, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Rickie Ford, 39, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, police said. He suffered lacerations to his hand and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he remains hospitalized, police said. He was ordered held on a $2 million bond.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Killed in Chicago violence

Jeff Mayes — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 16:00:58 -0500

At least 18 people died in violence in Chicago last week.

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One man was killed and another wounded in an Austin neighborhood shooting late Sunday. The men, ages 18 and 33, were at a house party about 11:50 p.m. in the 5000 block of West Jackson when shots rang out, according to Chicago Police.

The younger man, identified as 18-year-old Aetiris Gladney, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner's office. He lived on the same block as the shooting.

The older man suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and right leg, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. He was not cooperating with investigators, police said.

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One man was killed and another injured in a shooting Sunday night in the West Side Austin neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired about 7:40 p.m. in the 500 block of North Lavergne found the men, both 20, with gunshot wounds inside an SUV about four blocks south, in the 100 block of North Lavergne, according to Chicago Police. Police said the driver of the SUV appeared to have run away.

Carlos Harding, of the 4900 block of West Superior, was shot in the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The other man was also taken to Stroger with a gunshot wound to the leg, police said. His condition was stabilized.

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An 18-year-old northwest Indiana man was killed in an Englewood neighborhood shooting Sunday morning. Officers responded at 11:25 a.m. to a shooting in the 5700 block of South Union, where Chureno Gatewood had been shot in the upper chest, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Gatewood was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He lived in the 300 block of Madison Street in Gary, Indiana.

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A 38-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday morning in the West Garfield Park neighborhood. About 4:45 a.m., Raygene Jackson got into a fight with someone who then pulled a gun and shot him in the back of the head in the 4500 block of West Maypole, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Jackson was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died about eight hours later, authorities said. No one was in custody for the shooting.

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One teenager was killed and another wounded in a shooting early Sunday in the Kenwood neighborhood on the South Side. The teens were walking in the alley about 12:50 a.m. in the 4700 block of South Ellis when a red minivan pulled up and someone inside opened fire, according to police.

A 15-year-old boy, identified as Trevon D. Smith, was shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office. The other boy, 16, suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg and was taken to a hospital in serious condition, police said.

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Rachee Williams was found fatally shot Saturday night in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood. Officers were called about a person on the ground in the 5100 block of South Calumet about 11 p.m. and found the 23-year-old Williams lying in a vacant lot, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Williams was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner's office. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and his death was ruled a homicide. Police said a weapon was recovered at the scene.

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Loyd Daniel was fatally shot Saturday night in Austin. About 8:45 p.m., the 19-year-old Daniel was driving in the 4900 block of West Augusta when shots rang out and he suffered three gunshot wounds to the shoulder and side, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he died about four hours later, authorities said.

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A drunk driver is facing several charges after his passenger was killed in a crash with a U.S. Postal Service truck early Saturday in West Garfield Park. Jimmy Payton, 27, was charged with reckless homicide, two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing death, and two counts of aggravated DUI in an accident causing bodily harm, all felonies, according to Chicago Police. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count of DUI and cited for disobeying a red light.

The crash happened about 3:20 a.m. in the 3800 block of West Congress when Payton failed to stop his SUV at a red light and collided with the truck, police said. His passenger, 31-year-old Sydni Murray of the 600 block of North George in Bensenville, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Both drivers were taken to Stroger Hospital, where Payton was listed in critical condition and the postal truck driver’s condition was stabilized, police said. Payton, of the 2900 block of North Ridgeway, was scheduled to appear in bond court Monday.

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Another 19-year-old man was shot to death Friday afternoon, also in Austin. Bryan Cooley was a passenger in a vehicle about 3 p.m. in the 600 block of South Cicero when another vehicle approached, and someone inside opened fire, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. The driver took Cooley to Loretto Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:22 p.m., authorities said.

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Sixty-year-old Clarence Jones died Thursday night, more than two weeks after he was shot in Roseland, and two men are in custody for the attack. Jones was in the 11400 block of South Stewart about 2:40 p.m. June 27 when a vehicle approached and someone inside fired shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

He was shot in the back, and was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he died Thursday, authorities said. An autopsy showed he died of complications from a gunshot wound to the torso.

Two men were arrested the night of the shooting, police said. Shelby Turner, 22, and Gary Johnson, 21, were initially charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and attempted first-degree murder, police said, but charges may be upgraded. Johnson is being held on $750,000, and Turner was ordered held without bond.

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A 25-year-old man was found dead early Thursday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, and an autopsy showed he had been shot in the neck. Officers responding to a call of a person down in the 3200 block of West Washington at 1:59 a.m. found Christopher H. Roberson on the sidewalk with trauma to the back of his head, according to police and the medical examiner's office.

Roberson, of the 7700 block of South Lowe, was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the neck, and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the medical examiner's office.

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A gas station clerk was shot to death early Thursday outside a Park Manor neighborhood station. The 45-year-old man was arguing with a male about 12:40 a.m. in the Citgo station parking lot in the 6600 block of South State when shots were fired, according to police.

Marwan Mahmoud Sadeq was shot in the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:01 a.m., according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Another employee of the station said Sadeq had moved to Chicago from Yemen, and had worked at the station for about two months.

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A former Chicago resident who was living in Texas was shot to death Wednesday night in the West Pullman neighborhood. Anthony Thomas, 32, was walking in the 12100 block of South Throop when someone fired at him about 8:30 p.m., according to police and the medical examiner's office. Thomas, of Orange, Texas, was shot in the face and head, and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.

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Kensuan Ward was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. The 21-year-old was found unresponsive at 3:44 p.m. in the 2600 block of West 64th with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy showed Ward, who lived about four blocks from the murder scene in the 6400 block of South Campbell, died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the medical examiner’s office.

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Two men were shot to death Tuesday night in Englewood. Officers responding about 10:50 p.m. to a call of a person shot in the 6000 block of South Carpenter found one man lying in the street and another man unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a gray car, according to police. Both men had been shot in the head, and both were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

One of the men was identified as 34-year-old Rodney Wayne Phillips Orr of the 6100 block of South Cottage Grove, according to the medical examiner’s office. The second man was identified as Daniel Watkins, 28, of the 7800 block of South Eberhart. Autopsies showed both died of multiple gunshot wounds.

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A 17-year-old boy was shot to death Tuesday morning in the Morgan Park neighborhood. Officers responding to a call of shots fired at 11:42 a.m. in the 10900 block of South Peoria found James R. Moore with multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a home, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Moore was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:06 p.m.

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A 30-year-old man died Monday, a week after he was shot in the Little Village neighborhood. Silvestre Mejia Jr. was driving about 12:45 a.m. July 4 in the 2300 block of South Washtenaw when he was shot in the back of the head, according to police. His vehicle then crashed into two parked vehicles.

Mejia was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition, police said. He was pronounced dead at 12:58 p.m. Monday. An autopsy Wednesday showed he died of a gunshot wound to the head.

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A 33-year-old woman was stabbed to death Monday during a domestic-related argument in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Shemeki Heard was stabbed in the neck during an argument with a man in the 5000 block of South East End about 6:10 a.m., according to police. She was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she later died, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Rickie Ford, 39, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, police said. He suffered lacerations to his hand and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he remains hospitalized, police said. He was ordered held on a $2 million bond.

Silvestre Mejia Jr. dies a week after being shot while driving in Little Village on July 4

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 13 Jul 2016 16:47:39 -0500

By MATTHEW HENDRICKSON
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Silvestre Mejia Jr. died in a hospital Monday, a week after he was shot in the Little Village neighborhood.

The 30-year-old Mejia was driving about 12:45 a.m. July 4 in the 2300 block of South Washtenaw when he was shot in the back of the head, according to Chicago Police. His vehicle then crashed into two parked vehicles.

He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

Mejia, who lived in the 4600 block of South Mozart, was pronounced dead at 12:58 p.m. Monday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Wednesday indicated he died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Area Central detectives are conducting a homicide investigation, but no one was in custody as of Wednesday afternoon.