2 Charged in 6-Year-Old's Murder

Rash of weekend shootings leave 39 others wounded

At least 10 people were killed and 39 others wounded during a bloody Saturday and Sunday throughout the city, police said.

Saturday’s fatal shootings started about 3:40 p.m., when a 6-year-old girl -- identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office as Aliyah Shell -- was shot dead outside her house in the 3100 block of South Springfield Avenue, police said. A pickup truck approached and somebody inside began shooting, striking the girl in the abdomen, police said.

The little girl's sister was inside the house when she heard a popping sound outside.

"They started shooting but I thought it was fireworks. I heard like five or six gunshots. I thought they were fireworks," said Desiree Valzquez, Aliya's sister. "I ran outside, and my mom was holding my sister. My sister wasn't talking anymore. She wasn't breathing."

Sunday afternoon, police charged two teens with Aliyah's murder -- 18-year-old Juan Barraza, and a 16-year-old boy. Both teens are charged with murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm.  Police said they recovered a gun at the scene. 

Other Weekend Shootings

Saturday evening, somebody inside a vehicle fatally shot a 24-year-old man standing in the 5900 block of South Fairfield Avenue about 7:04 p.m., police News Affairs Officer Veejay Zala said. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was initially taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Adrian Cruz, 24, of the 5900 block of South Fairfield Avenue, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County at 8:17 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

At 7:50 p.m., police found a 21-year-old man dead with a gunshot wound to the head in the 800 block of East 79th Street, Zala said.

The victim was identified as Vincent Fitts, 22, of the 4100 block of West Cermak Road, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

The last fatal shooting Saturday happened at 10:30 p.m., when man is his 20s was shot in the back while inside a vehicle in the 6300 block of South Ellis Avenue, police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said. He may have driven himself to nearby University of Chicago Medical Center where he was dead upon arrival.

Jeremy Anthony, 24, of the 6400 block of South Ellis Avenue, was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center at 10:50 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

After a few hours without reports of any fatal shootings, more murders ensued early Sunday.

About 1:20 a.m., a 36-year-old man was fatally shot in the 7500 block of South Wolcott Avenue, police said. The man was in the backyard at a party when shots were fired into the yard from a passing vehicle. He was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Bert Lindsey, 36, of the 7500 block of South Wolcott Avenue, was pronounced dead at Christ at 2:16 a.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

At 1:55 a.m., one person was shot dead and two others wounded during a shooting in the 1400 block of West 53rd Street, police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro said. Two people were taken to Stroger and one other was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.Saturday and Sunday saw numerous other serious but non-fatal shootings.

At 3:22 p.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old man was shot in the arm and a 20-year-old man was shot in the body in the 5200 block of South Albany Avenue, police said. Both men were taken in serious-to-critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital, according to Fire Media Affairs.

About 3:35 p.m., a 17-year-old girl was shot in the leg in the 100 block of East 107th Street, Zala said.

Paramedics took the teen to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in serious-to-critical condition, according to Fire Media Affairs.

About the same time, an 18-year-old man was shot in the arm during a drive-by attack in the 4600 block of South Michigan Avenue, police said. The man drove himself to Provident Hospital of Cook County and was listed in good condition.

About 7:30 p.m., two men were wounded in a shooting on the Eisenhower Expressway near the 2900 block of West Congress Parkway, Zala said. State Police are investigating, but a spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.

One of the men, 37, was shot in the head and back, Zala said. Information on the other wounded person was not immediately known. The fire department said it took two men from the scene to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious-to-critical condition.

About 9:05 p.m., a man and two teenage girls were standing on the sidewalk in the 8300 block of South Kedzie Avenue when several males fired shots, police said.

One 14-year-old girl was shot in the left leg and the other girl, also 14, was shot in the right leg, police said. Both girls were taken in good condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and Holy Cross Hospital. A man in his 20s was also shot in the chest and taken in serious condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

At 9:50 p.m., a 28-year-old woman was shot in the face when she opened the door of her apartment in the 5000 block of North Mango Avenue and a male shot her, police said. The shooting was possibly domestic-related. She is in “stable” condition at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

A 33-year-old man was in the 6300 block of South Richmond Street at 11:30 p.m. when a male approached, produced a handgun and demanded money, police said. He was taken in serious condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with gunshot wounds in the back and leg.

Sunday at 12:05 a.m., a 20-year-old man was sitting on the porch in the 5900 block of South Laflin Street when he heard shots and felt pain, police said. He was taken in “stable” condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County with a gunshot wound to the groin.

At 12:55 a.m., a 22-year-old man was walking on the sidewalk in the 800 block of East 66th Street when a dark-colored sedan drove by and fired shots, police said. He was taken to St. Bernard with a gunshot wound to the left shoulder.

A teenage boy was hospitalized in serious condition at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County after suffering multiple gunshot wounds on the South Side. The boy, 17, was shot in the back and face in the 500 block of East 67th Street about 2:17 a.m., police said.

A male shot multiple times on the West Side early Sunday is hospitalized in serious condition. He was in the 3300 block of West Evergreen Avenue about 4:20 a.m. when an unknown offender fired gunshots, hitting him in his chest and legs, police said. The unidentified male victim was taken in serious condition to an unknown hospital, police said.

Police found three people, including 24-year-old Equilla Coleman, shot Sunday in the 1400 block of West 53rd. Police said they heard gunfire and found them shot.

Early Monday, a man was reported shot in both legs while sitting in Ogden Park in the Englewood neighborhood, according to police. He was taken in serious condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital.

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