Chicago

18-Year-Old Charged in Fatal Shooting of Student Activist

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An 18-year-old man was charged in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old student activist in West Rogers Park on the North Side.

Genove Martin faces a first-degree murder charge and a forcible felony charge, according to Chicago police.

Martin allegedly shot the teen July 31 in the 1900 block of West Granville Avenue, police said. He was later identified as Caleb Reed, a student leader advocating to remove police from Chicago Public Schools.

Martin was taken into custody Sunday morning in Park Manor on the South Side, police said. He is due in bond court Tuesday.

Reed was working with voices of youth in Chicago education, aiming to transform his community and how young black men are seen and treated as a so-called "freedom fighter" with the group Good Kids Mad City.

"This tragedy is traumatizing & heartbreaking," Good Kids Mad City wrote on Twitter after Reed's shooting. "We can honor him by continuing the call to end [gun violence] & get students resources for healing."

Ald. Andre Vasquez tweeted that Reed "was a light in our community that was extinguished too soon."

"I'm feeling so much grief right now about my son Caleb," Reed's mother, Sabrina Pleasant, who is hearing impaired, said through an interpreter. "He was such a good boy."

Derriana Ford, Reed's girlfriend, also expressed shock and grief.

"I dated him for three years and I can't believe I've got to bury my boyfriend," she said.

Reed had spoken out at recent demonstrations in Chicago, calling for funding to be used to find solution to heal decades of trauma in city schools.

"He wanted us to have mental health workers inside schools," said his friend Derion Smith.

"He was adamant, he was consistent and he was not going to give up," said Ald. Roderick Sawyer.

Sun-Times/NBC Chicago
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