A teenager faces felony charges after he allegedly carried a concealed weapon to a funeral for a known gang member Saturday afternoon, police said.
Roosevelt J. Yarber, 17, was arrested and charged after a witness allegedly told officers that Yarber had a handgun during a funeral service in the 100 block of South Kilpatrick Avenue about 11 a.m., police said.
Yarber, of the 4100 block of West Van Buren Street, is expected to appear in bond court on Sunday, according to the Chicago Police Department’s News Affairs office.
The arrest comes after Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday said gang funerals would be considered “gang events” where pat-downs would be conducted and police officers touting assault rifles would be present.
“Where there’s a gang funeral -- given that they have shown no respect for a place of worship -- we’re going to change how they’re going to operate,” Emanuel said. “The Police Department is going to change the way they deal with gang funerals.”
Last week, two men were gunned down on the steps of a church during a funeral for an alleged gang member.
The shooting happened outside St. Columbanus Catholic Church across the street from A.A. Rayner & Sons Funeral Home in the 300 block of East 71st Street, officials said.
Sherman Miller, 21, was dead on arrival at 1 p.m. at Stroger Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The shooting also left a 26-year-old man in critical condition, authorities said.
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