Another man charged in 7-year-old Amari Brown's murder

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - A purported gang member already awaiting trial for a murder has been charged in the deadly shooting that claimed the life of 7-year-old Amari Brown last July 4th weekend.

Amari was killed after watching fireworks with his father on the sidewalk shortly before midnight in Humboldt Park, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

Jamal Joiner told someone that he and Rasheed Martin — members of the Black Flag faction of the Four Corner Hustlers — were aiming at a rival when a bullet pierced Amari’s chest, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Jamie Santini told Judge Peggy Chiampas on Thursday.

The gang members had been feuding for several months and had shootouts earlier that day as well as on April 17, 2015 and May 23, 2015, Santini said.

Joiner already is being held without bail in Cook County Jail for another murder stemming from the April 17 incident.

Joiner admitted to his friend that he and Martin fired their guns on July 4 because a rival had shot at them earlier; Joiner also admitted that he knew Amari had been hit, Santini said.

Martin was arrested for Amari’s murder last summer after he fled to Wisconsin.

Martin, 21, is being held without bail.

A 27-year-old woman was also shot in the chest but survived, Santini said.

A man in his 20s was also injured, prosecutors said last year.

Witnesses saw Joiner and Martin firing their weapons before running away from the scene, in the 1100 block of North Harding, Santini said.

After Martin was arrested, he allegedly implicated himself and Joiner.

Chiampas ordered Joiner, 21, held without bail for Amari’s murder.

In the other murder Joiner is charged with, 36-year-old Courtney Jackson was shot in the head while he was in a car in the 1000 block of North Springfield.

Another man was also injured when prosecutors said Joiner walked up to them and starting shooting. That man survived.

Joiner also has previous convictions for robbery and drug offenses.