WEEK IN REVIEW: Twelve killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 10:18:17 -0600

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Twelve people died violent deaths throughout Chicago last week.

Three of the victims were fatally shot over the weekend, when at least 25 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 45-year-old Ron Hernandez was shot in the abdomen during a robbery in the 5200 block of West Washington Boulevard about 5:55 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Hernandez, who lived on the block, died at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County hours later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. An 8-year-old boy in a passing vehicle was also struck by the gunfire and was hospitalized in good condition, police said.

In the West Englewood community, 44-year-old Miguel Haro was shot while rehabbing a vacant house in the 7200 block of South Hermitage Avenue about 5:40 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Haro, of the 3200 block of South 54th Avenue in Cicero, died at Holy Cross Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

On Friday, 19-year-old Johnny Coria was walking in the 3000 block of South Kedvale Avenue when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 4:40 p.m. Friday, authorities said.

Coria, of an unidentified home address, was shot in the chest and died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

On Wednesday, 28-year-old Ezra Walton beat 47-year-old Yvonne Augustus to death then hung himself in what police called a domestic-related murder-suicide inside her home int he 7100 block of South Ingleside Avenue in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood about 7:45 p.m., authorities said. The relationship between the pair was not immediately available.

In the South Shore neighborhood, 20-year-old Drequan Archie was in the 2100 block of East 79th Street when two other people approached and one of them opened fire about 2:20 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

Archie, 20, of the 1300 block of East 93rd Street, was struck and died at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. Another man was wounded, but survived, police said.

In the Chicago Lawn community, 17-year-old Jose R. Hernandez shot in the head about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday and police found him lying on a sidewalk in the 5900 block of South Fairfield Avenue, authorities said.

Hernandez, who lived on the block, was declared dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On the Near West Side, 35-year-old Donatello Herrera was standing on the sidewalk in the 1200 block of South Western Avenue a gunman inside a passing SUV opened fire about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, authorities said.

Herrera, of the 3200 block of South Wallace Street, was struck in the abdomen area and died at short time later at Stroger Hospital, authorities said.

On Tuesday, police found 42-year-old Matthew Dowdell dead at his West Englewood home in the 5900 block of South Wolcott Avenue at 8:12 p.m., authorities said.

A Wednesday autopsy confirmed Dowdell died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a homicide, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the Albany Park neighborhood, 31-year-old Omar Flores was sitting in the passenger’s seat of a car parked in the 4700 block of North Lawndale Avenue when two gunmen walked up and opened fire about 3:10 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Flores, of the 4800 block of North Avers Avenue, was shot in the head and died Wednesday at Presence Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, according to the medical examiner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.

In the East Garfield Park community, 30-year-old Tyrone Johnson was shot in the 3300 block of West Congress Parkway about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Johnson, of the 3300 block of West Van Buren Street, died less than an hour later at Stroger Hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office.

ON Monday, 23-year-old Torrance D. Bell just exited a parked vehicle in the 700 block of North Kedzie Avenue in Humboldt Park when three people approached and two of them opened fire about 2:40 p.m., authorities said.

Bell, of the 600 block of North Ridegway Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 18-year-old Shamar Thompson was walking in the 5800 block of South Morgan Street in Englewood when a maroon van pulled up and somebody inside opened fire at 11:40 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Thompson, of the 5500 block of South Morgan Street, was shot multiple times and died about an hour later at Stroger Hospital, authorities said.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 428 Chicago deaths in 2014 a homicide — including 16 people killed by police.

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

Torrance Bell fatally shot in Humbold Park community

Michael Lansu — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:55:03 -0600

Torrance D. Bell was fatally shot near a Humboldt Park library Monday afternoon.

Bell, 23, just exited a parked vehicle in the 700 block of North Kedzie Avenue when three people approached and two of them opened fire about 2:40 p.m., authorities said.

Bell, of the 600 block of North Ridegway Avenue, was shot multiple times and died at Mount Sinai Hospital less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Another person who exited the vehicle with Bell was not injured, police said.

The gunman ran away after the shooting, which happened near the Richard M. Daley-West Humboldt Chicago Public Library branch at 733 N. Kedzie Ave., and nobody has been charged for the murder.

Area North detectives are investigating.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire

Torrance D. Bell | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Twelve killed throughout Chicago

Torrance Bell fatally shot in Humbold Park community