Tommie L. Pledge | Homicide Watch Chicago

Second man charged with shooting Tommie Lee Pledge, who prosecutors say was in same gang as killers

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:42:58 -0500

By RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

Deshun Jones | Chicago Police

An Austin man was ordered held without bond Thursday, charged with murdering Tommie Lee Pledge, a fellow member of his gang, inside a Humboldt Park cellphone store, according to prosecutors.

Deshun Jones and Terran Scott shot Pledge on March 2 inside Division Quick Stop and Cellular at 3657 W. Division, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Matt Howroyd said.

Pledge was a member of the Four Corner Hustlers, as are the two gunmen, Howroyd said.

While Jones talked to someone at the back at the store that afternoon, Scott kept entering and exiting the store while talking and texting on his cellphone, Howroyd said.

Pledge, 31, walked in, and when he went to the counter, Scott came in through the front entrance and shot him several times in the back, according to prosecutors.

Terran Scott | Cook County sheriff's office

A witness, who took cover in the store when the shooting started, saw the 23-year-old Jones walk up to Pledge, remove a gun from his waistband and fire several more times while Pledge was on the ground, authorities said.

The gunmen left and the witness called 911.

Later that day, Chicago Police saw Scott and Jones get into a Dodge Challenger in the 4300 block of West End Avenue, Howroyd said. When officers tried to curb the car, Scott sped away.

The Dodge eventually crashed. Jones got out and dropped the weapon as officers commanded, but he ran away, Howroyd said. Scott was arrested and police recovered two 9mm handguns.

Ballistic tests showed casings from the crime scene match the handguns, Howroyd said.

Scott, 25, was charged with murder on March 4 and is being held without bond in the Cook County Jail.

Jones, of the 300 block of North Mayfield, was arrested in Indiana in late March.

Jones graduated from high school in 2010 and his girlfriend is expecting a baby, his attorney said. He last worked at Mars Candy in January, the defense attorney said.

Some court document also list Jones’ first name as “Deshon.”

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least seven people killed in Chicago violence, though no homicides reported over weekend

Jeff Mayes — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 16:00:58 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Despite the first weekend of the year in which there were no fatal shootings, at least seven people died from violence last week in Chicago. And while that number is unacceptable, it was the lowest number of murders in the city since the week of New Year's, when only 5 people were killed.

A north suburban man was fatally shot after an argument in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood on Friday night.

Wavey Brown, 44, was arguing with another man in an alley in the 5000 block of South Calumet Avenue at 9:30 p.m. when the other man pulled out a gun and fired, according to Chicago Police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Brown, who lived in the 300 block of Washington Street in Waukegan, suffered a gunshot wound to the back, and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m., authorities said.

Also Friday, a 22-year-old west suburban man was fatally shot in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood on the Northwest Side. About 1:15 a.m., Courtney Copeland got out of a car in the 5500 block of West Grand and approached officers in a squad car in front of the 25th District police station, police said.

When he said he had been shot in the back, the Cicero resident was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. It was unclear exactly where COpeland had been shot, and no one was in custody as of Monday.

The wheelchair-bound suspect in a fatal shooting in the gym of a River West apartment building Wednesday night is in custody after surrendering to police early Thursday.

Darrin Joss, 45, was shot in the head about 7 p.m. in the eighth-floor gym of the apartment building where he lived at 555 W. Kinzie, according to police and the medical examiner’s office. Joss died about half an hour later at a hospital.

Late Thursday, Reggie Daniel, 48, was charged with one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Joss in the head and chest as Joss used a treadmill at the gym. Prosecutors said the two had argued about a woman earlier. Joss was being held on a $1 million bond.

Tommie L. Pledge was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in a Humboldt Park neighborhood business, police said.

A suspect or suspects entered a store in the 3600 block of West Division Street at 4:33 p.m. and shot the 31-year-old Pledge several times before running away, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pledge, of the 5200 block of West Congress, died of multiple gunshots wounds, an autopsy showed.

Natyia Kyrell Bowen was shot to death Wednesday afternoon in Austin. The 22-year-old was outside in the 300 block of North Central at 1:55 p.m. when someone walked up and shot him multiple times, according to the medical examiner’s office and Police.

Bowen, of the 9100 block of South Yates Boulevard, was shot in the head and torso, and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

William Bustos was shot dead in Back of the Yards neighborhood Tuesday evening, ending a period of nearly 75 hours without a fatal shooting in the city.

The 20-year-old was walking in the 4400 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 6:15 p.m. when someone got out of a car, walked up to him and fired several shots, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Bustos, who lived in the 1700 block of West 43rd Street, was shot in the chest and head, and was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later.

A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death Tuesday evening in West Garfield Park. Someone stabbed Fredrick Brown in the chest about 5:45 p.m. during a fight over money in the 3900 block of West Jackson, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

Brown, who lived in the 3800 block of West Adams, was pronounced dead at the scene less than 30 minutes later. No one was in custody in connection with the stabbing, police said.

Tommie Pledge fatally shot inside store in Humboldt Park

Jeff Mayes — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 13:10:42 -0600

Tommie L. Pledge was shot to death Wednesday afternoon inside a Humboldt Park neighborhood business.

Chicago Police said one or more suspects entered a cell phone business in the 3600 block of West Division Street at 4:33 p.m. and shot the 31-year-old victim several times before running away.

Pledge, of the 5200 block of West Congress, was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:38 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

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

--Chicago Sun-Times Wire