Willie Bush | Homicide Watch Chicago

Martez Staples charged with murder in North Lawndale shooting death of Willie Bush

Michael Lansu — Fri, 22 May 2015 16:47:40 -0500

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN
Chicago Sun-Times

A West Side man was ordered held on $1 million bond Friday for a shooting that claimed the life of a 49-year-old man and left two other people injured.

Martez Staples shot the three people on Aug. 17, 2013, after asking a group sitting on a porch in the 1200 block of South Lawndale Avenue if they knew who beat up Staples' uncle in a nearby alley, prosecutors said.

The group on the porch said they knew nothing about the beating, prompting someone in Staples' group to say, “f--- them,” Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini said.

Staples and two others then opened fire, Santini said.

Willie Bush, 49, was shot 13 and died three days later, Santini said.

Another man was shot nine but survived. A teenager was also shot in his abdomen and survived, authorities said.

Bush worked as a contractor boarding up and cleaning abandoned building, friend Cleveland Smith said.

Willie Bush / Submitted photo

“I’ve never seen him, in the 20-something years that I knew him, without a smile or a laugh,” Smith said. “He was always happy.”

During the investigation, detectives learned from one of the victims that Staples was one of the gunmen, Santini said.

Staples, 26, of the 1200 block of South St. Louis Avenue, was arrested this week. He is a member of the Vice Lords street gang, according to a police report.

Staples has previous convictions for armed robbery and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Comment of the Day: "My heart broke when I heard this happened to him"

Michael Lansu — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 16:59:05 -0600

Willie Bush, 49, was one of three people wounded in an August shooting in the Lawndale neighborhood. Bush died days later, and a friend posted this about him:

He was a really sweet person. My heart broke when I heard this happened to him.

Willie Bush, slain in argument over earlier beating, remembered for upbeat personality

Cat Zakrzewski — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:56:50 -0500

Willie Bush, 49, was a contractor who worked everyday but also liked to party, according to relatives.

“I've never seen him, in the 20-something years that I knew him, without a smile or a laugh,” said Cleveland Smith, a family friend. “He was always happy."

Willie Bush died Monday night of injuries he sustained during a Saturday shooting.

Bush died late Monday of injuries he sustained during a shooting Saturday, according to police. Two other men, ages 24 and 39, were wounded in the shooting, which occurred about 11:35 p.m., police said.

A group of people approached the three as they were sitting outside on Bush’s porch. One person asked Bush and the others who had attacked his uncle earlier in the day. When the three told the group they were not involved, at least one person opened fire, police said.

Bush was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital early Tuesday.

Joyce Bush, Willie Bush’s younger sister, said that even though she was outside at the time of the shooting, she did not know what happened.

“You hear gunshots, and you just run and run,” she said.

Smith said Willie Bush was a working man. In his contractor job, he boarded and cleaned up abandoned buildings, Smith said.

"He was definitely not a trouble maker,” Smith said. “If he was, the feelings would be a little bit different."
John Carpenter, Sun-Times Media-Wire, contributed.

Man dies following weekend shooting in Lawndale

John Carpenter — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 08:48:06 -0500

A 49-year-old man injured last weekend during a Lawndale shooting has died.

Willie Bush, of the 1200 block of South Lawndale Avenue, died late Monday after he was shot multiple times late Saturday outside his home, authorities said.

Two others were wounded -- one seriously -- in the shooting, which occurred about 11:35 p.m., police said.

One man remains hospitalized with serious injuries at an area hospital, authorities said. Another man was shot in the leg and hand. He was initially listed in good condition, police said.

Their ages and the circumstances surrounding the attack were not yet known.

Area North detectives were investigating.

- Sun-Times Media Wire