Tonya Gunn | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: 12 dead from Chicago shootings

Michael Lansu — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 09:51:49 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Twelve people died last week from shootings throughout Chicago.

Three of the shootings happened early last Monday at the end of a bloody Independence Day weekend that saw 13 people killed and 58 others wounded by gunfire.

The last shooting of the week happened when a gunman walked up to 28-year-old William Lewis in the 1300 block of West Devon Avenue and shot him in the head 3:20 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Lewis, of the 4700 block of North Hermitage Avenue, died at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

In the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, 27-year-old Adarrius Thompson and his 50-year-old mother were shot during a domestic dispute at their home in the 6200 block of South Rockwell Street, authorities said.

Thompson was shot in the chest and died at the scene. His mother was also shot in the chest and was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition, authorities said.

On Friday, 32-year-old Damion Bryant was shot in the head just outside his home in the 5200 block of West Quincy Street in the Austin neighborhood and died at the scene about 8 p.m., authorities said. Three other people were wounded in the shooting but survived.

On Wednesday, Jasmine Curry -- a pregnant 24-year-old mother of five -- was shot while in a minivan traveling south on the Dan Ryan Expressway near 59th Street, family said.

“I just don’t understand young people in Chicago today,” said her father, Pierre Curry. “They don’t give a damn. They ain’t got no heart.”

Jasmine Curry’s death comes slightly less than a year after her brother Pierce L. Curry was fatally shot while riding in a vehicle on the South Side in the early morning hours of Aug. 27, 2013.

On Tuesday, 23-year-old Bruce Wright was shot while riding a bicycle in the 900 block of North Hamlin Avenue about 10:10 p.m., authorities said. Wright, of the 0-100 block of North Hamlin Avenue, was shot in the head and died at the scene.

Wright was previously wounded in the left forearm just six days earlier — on July 2. He told police he heard shots and felt pain in his arm.

On Sept. 2, he was shot in his left wrist during a drive-by shooting, police said.

In the Washington Heights neighborhood, 17-year-old Marcel Pearson and a 15-year-old acquaintance had just left a store and were walking through Robichaux Park in the 9200 block of South Eggleston Avenue when a white van pulled up about 10 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. A gunman exited and opened fire — hitting Pearson in the chest and back, police said.

Pearson, of the 1400 block of West 114th Place, was dead at the scene by the time emergency personnel arrived, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Friends said Pearson played basketball at Johnson College Prep High School was about to start at Western Illinois University.

On Monday, 19-year-old Jaynisha Scheffer was walking with a group in the 2200 block of West 69th Street when someone rode up on a bicycle and opened fire at 7:05 p.m., authorities said.

Scheffer, of the 7600 block of South Paulina Street, was shot in the back and died at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn later that night, authorities said.

In the South Chicago neighborhood, 24-year-old Joey Henderson was shot in the 8400 block of South Buffalo Avenue when he was shot about 2:20 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Henderson, who lived on the block, was shot in the back, chest, right arm and eye and died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about an hour later, authorities said.

In the Washington Heights neighborhood, 19-year-old Cassius White and a 16-year-old acquaintance were shot in the 9600 block of South Sangamon Avenue about 12:30 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

White, of the 8200 block of South Dante Avenue, was shot in the abdomen area and died later that day at Christ Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office. The 16-year-old was also wounded, but survived, police said.

The killings started when 44-year-old Tonya Gunn was leaning against a car and talking to her cousin after a cookout at her grandfather’s house in the 10900 block of South Throop Street when gunshots rang out about 12:30 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Gunn, who lived on the block, was shot in the side and died less than an hour later at Roseland Community Hospital.

“As far as her being in the wrong place at the wrong time — I can’t say that,” Gunn’s cousin, Annette Scott, said.

Additionally, two people died last week from earlier gunshot wounds.

William Allen, 25, of the 3500 block of South State Street, died last Monday after being shot June 6 near East 80th Street and South Muskegon Avenue, authorities said. Two other men were wounded, but survived.

Debra Escobedo, 49, died Monday afternoon after being shot about 3 a.m. June 1 in the 2700 block of West 24th Street, authorities said. Escobedo, of the 3100 block of South Green Street, was talking with a group outside a bar when a gunman approached and opened fire, police and family said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 216 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including nine people killed by police.

Additionally, the state’s attorney’s office filed first-degree murder charges against a speeding motorist who killed an off-duty police officer while trying to flee police even though the autopsy ruled the death an accident.

Chicago Police, which counts murders different, have ruled some of those homicides as involuntary manslaughter, justified self-defense or accidents.

South Side mom Tonya Gunn killed in random gun violence

Michael Lansu — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 21:22:31 -0500

Tonya Gunn / Family photo

BY BRIAN SLODYSKO
Chicago Sun-Times

Tonya Gunn was shot to death on the Morgan Park block where her family has lived for generations.

Gunn was leaning against a car and talking to her cousin after a cookout at her grandfather’s house at South Throop and West 109th streets when gunshots rang out about 12:30 a.m. Monday, police and family said.

The 44-year-old West Pullman woman was shot twice — in the arm and the side — and died a short time later, authorities said.

“As far as her being in the wrong place at the wrong time — I can’t say that,” said Gunn’s cousin, Annette Scott, who was raised alongside Gunn.

“That block,” Scott said, pausing a moment. “My grandfather was born there. Her grandfathers were born on that block as well.”

“It was somewhere which was a safe haven for us,” she continued. “That’s where our family gathered, cooked and played volleyball.”

Scott said she and Gunn were born months apart and were both taught preschool by Gunn’s mother. Later they attended Morgan Park High School together. They have remained close through the years. And they planned a vacation later this month, hoping to catch some R&B acts at the Cincinnati Jazz Festival.

Gunn also leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter, Destiny, Scott said.

“She took pride in raising her child,” said Scott, who added that Gunn kept her daughter busy with sports and martial arts.

For over 20 years, Gunn worked at the University of Chicago, school officials said. Most recently she was a dispatcher who fielded customer service calls for the maintenance department.

“Her work ethic and good-humored manner were appreciated by clients and co-workers alike,” Steve Wiesenthal, an administrator who oversaw Gunn’s department, wrote to employees in an email on Monday. “We are all grief-stricken, and we send our deepest sympathies and condolences to her family and friends.”

As of Monday evening, Chicago Police said no arrests had been made.

Scott said the randomness of the shooting was maddening. It happened not long after Gunn finished grilling skirt steak.

Gunfire erupted from the direction of two cars that were passing by, said Scott, who was not present. Next thing everybody knew, Gunn had been hit.

“It’s a late summer night, out there with our cousins. And that’s it. Shots rang out,” Scott said. “That’s it. It wasn’t a fight. It wasn’t a fight. It wasn’t cross-fire. Two cars drove by and just started shooting.”

Tonya Gunn, 44, fatally shot in Morgan Park community

Michael Lansu — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 18:20:10 -0500

Tonya Gunn was shot to death early Monday in the Morgan Park neighborhood.

Gunn, 44, was leaning on a vehicle in a vacant lot in the 10900 block of South Throop Street when shots were fired about 12:30 a.m., authorities said.

Gunn was struck in the side and left arm and died less than an hour later at Roseland Community Hospital, authorities said.

Nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire