Uchenna Agina | Homicide Watch Chicago

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six shot dead throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:18:55 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Six men were shot to death throughout Chicago last week.

Two of the slayings happened over the weekend, when at least 15 other people were shot and wounded.

The most recent killing happened when a 25-year-old man sitting in a car in the 12200 block of South Racine Avenue was shot in the head about 1:55 a.m. Sunday, police said.

After the shooting, another man in the car drove to the nearby Calumet Police Department, where an ambulance was called. The man died less than an hour later at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, according to the Cook County medical center, which has not yet released his name.

On Saturday, 36-year-old Michael Ricks was shot when gunfire erupted inside Riff Music Lounge in the 2200 block of South Michigan Avenue in the South Loop about 1:20 a.m., authorities said.

Ricks, of the 2300 block of South State Street, was shot in the abdomen area and died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, authorities said.

Prior to being shot, police said he had gotten into an argument with a man who was escorted out of the club, but later returned and opened fire.

“And as a result of that, here we are having to plan for a funeral now of Michael Ricks,” said Carlos Estes, a family friend and spokesman.

On Friday, 24-year-old Uchenna Agina — the manager for Chicago rapper Lil Durk — was sitting in a car in the 8400 block of South Stony Island Avenue in the Avalon Park neighborhood when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 1:50 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

Agina, 24, of the 7900 block of South Karlov Avenue, died less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Just hours earlier, Agina was part of a group that met with Chicago Bulls star Joakim Noah about participating in Noah's "Rock the Drop" anti-violence campaign.

On Thursday, 21-year-old Antoine Coney was shot on the porch in the 5200 block of West Quincy Street in the Austin neighborhood about 5:30 p.m., authorities said.

Quincy, who lived on the block, was shot in the head and died at the scene, authorities said.

On Wednesday, 25-year-old Edgar Muneton was shot in the 5200 block of West Fullerton Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood about 5:40 p.m., authorities said.

Prior to the shooting, Muneton had gotten into a fight at a nearby business, authorities said. He tried to run away through a back door, but a gunman followed him and opened fire. Emergency crews found him shot multiple times in an alley, police said.

Muneton, of the 2700 block of North Neva Avenue, died less than an hour later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The killings started when 27-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee Anthony Hayes was found shot to death inside a vehicle in the 2800 block of West Warren Boulevard in the East Garfield Park neighborhood about 6:35 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

“The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the tragic killing of our co-worker Anthony Hayes,” according to a statement from the postal service. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Anthony’s family, co-workers and friends.”

Nobody has been charged for any of the killings.

Overall, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 81 Chicago deaths in 2015 a homicide.

Bulls' Joakim Noah discusses murder of Lil Durk manager 'Chino Dolla'

Michael Lansu — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 22:32:32 -0500

JOE COWLEY
Chicago Sun-Times

Basketball seemed to be second on the mind of Joakim Noah Saturday night.

Following the win over the New York Knicks, the Bulls big man confirmed that the manager of rapper Lil Durk, who was shot and killed early Friday, was at an event of Noah’s just hours earlier to discuss a way to get involved in Noah’s “Rock the Drop" anti-violence campaign.

Uchenna Agina, 24, was shot at 1:50 a.m. Friday while sitting in a car in the 8400 block of South Stony Island Avenue, authorities said.

“It’s very sad," Noah said. “What’s going on in this city is very real. I signed up for this, and you know that I’m just doing everything I can to do something positive. We just need to keep up the good fight. I know that everything I’m doing with my foundation comes from my heart, and I think it’s really important that we don’t turn our backs on anybody.

“I just know that someone came to my house and we were talking about doing some work for the kids, doing something positive, and he got murdered. I never experienced anything like that. My respects go to his family and to his friends. I just hope that we can find solutions."

Noah has been promoting his anti-violence campaign most of the season, with his Arc Foundation providing the biggest push.

Noah said that while some people warned him to stay away from various rappers in the community, the death of Agina has made his resolve even stronger.

“No question, and we need everybody involved," Noah said. “That’s why these rappers, a lot of people tell me to stay away from certain people. I’m not staying away from anybody. We need everybody involved in this. The reason why I think these rappers are important is even though their message is violent in Chicago, they are a force. And I want to engage with them and I want to work together with them to do something positive.

“I don’t want there to just … even though their message sometimes is negative and it might clash with the message that we’re bringing with the drop, their followers and the people that follow them is who I’m trying to reach."

Lil Durk's manager, Chino Dolla, fatally shot hours after Joakim Noah anti-violence event

Michael Lansu — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 10:59:05 -0500

Alex Perris, Joakim Noah, Matt Rosenberg, Lil Durk, Cobe Williams, DJ Bandz and Chino Dolla on Thursday. | Via Instagram

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago Editor

Just hours after meeting with Chicago Bulls star Joakim Noah about an anti-violence event, the manager of Chicago rapper Lil Durk was gunned down in the Avalon Park neighborhood.

Uchenna Agina -- know as Chino Dolla and OTF Chino -- was sitting in a car in the 8400 block of South Stony Island Avenue when a gunman walked up and opened fire about 1:50 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

Police said a friend drove him to Advocate Trinity Hospital. A police source said Lil Durk was not the friend that took Agina to the hospital.

Agina, 24, of the 7900 block of South Karlov Avenue, died less than an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Agina was the manager for Lil Durk, a 22-year-old Chicago rapper signed to Def Jam records.

On Thursday, Agina accompanied Lil Durk and DJ Bandz to Joakim Noah's Downtown condominium to discuss Noah's "Rock Your Drop" anti-violence campaign, according to DJ Bandz' manager, Devin Jackson.

Agina was killed hours later. Noah declined to comment through a Bulls spokesperson.

Jackson, 23, said he met Agina on Tuesday at a photo shoot for Lil Durk's upcoming album, "Remember My Name." Jackson said he hung out with Agina again on Wednesday at an art show at Mars Gallery in the West Loop.

"Chino was a good dude," Jackson said. "He took care of the business. That is what he was known for."

Jackson said Agina was a behind the scenes guy, and called him "humble."

"I definitely didn't think what happened to him would happen to him," Jackson said.

Both Agina and Banks have pleaded guilty to gun crimes.

Agina pleaded guilty in November 2010 to a misdemeanor gun charge, according to court records. Lil Durk, whose real name is Durk Banks, is currently fighting a felony gun charge in Cook County for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and being a felon in in possession of a firearm.

Uchenna Agina / Photo from Instagram

Banks previously pleaded guilty to gun charges in 2011 and 2013, according to court records.

Community activist Andrew Holmes said young men understand the choices they make when they decide to pick up a gun.

"They know if they pull the trigger and discharge a gun they are going to do damage or someone is going to lose their life," Holmes said.

Holmes is currently working to establish a program to provide computer technology training classes to youths to give them life skills as an alternative to violence.

Joakim Noah has assisted in Father Michael Pfleger's "Balling For Peace" basketball tournament as a means to bring together different gang factions in a friendly, controlled environment.

Noah has starred in an anti-violence Public Service Announcement with other Chicagoans, including Derrick Rose, urging people to stand up against violence.

The NBA all-star recently unveiled his #RockTheDrop initiative, centered around a tear drop necklace, to raise awareness of gun violence in Chicago. Noah and Lil Durk can be seen wearing the tear drop necklace in photos shared on social media before the shooting.

Noah received the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for his efforts earlier this month.

“When you’re an athlete, you have a platform,’’ Noah said after being honored. "Chicago is a place that really needs it. We need as many after school programs as possible. That’s why I’m so proud of wearing that drop because I think [the drop is] a symbol for giving back to the neighborhood."

As news of Agina's death started to trickle out Friday afternoon on the rap websites AllHipHop.com and Vice's The Noisy, local rappers and rap fans took to social media to expresses their condolences.

Chicago rapper Dreezy posted:

Last summer, Durk's cousin McArthur Swindle, who rapped under the name Nuski, was shot and killed.

Nobody has been charged for Agina's killing. Area South detectives are investigating.

-- Contributing: Brandon Wall, Network Video Productions