7-year-old girl shot on Halloween in Chicago released from hospital, police say
CHICAGO - A 7-year-old girl who was shot while trick-or-treating in Chicago on Halloween was released from the hospital Friday night, police said.
The teen charged in the shooting, whose name was not released because he is a juvenile, faces two counts of attempted first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery through discharge of a firearm, according to a release by Chicago police. Judge Joanne Rosado also told him he is charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. when three people walked up to another group of people in an alley in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood on the southwest side. Assistant state’s attorney Jack Ruggiero told the court the boy and several others, at least one of whom was wearing a mask, went out that day “looking for trouble” and looking for a Latin King (member of a Hispanic Chicago street gang). The shooting occurred close to the border dividing rival street gangs.
When they spotted the 32-year-old man on the other side of the alley as the little girl, one of them first tried to shake his hand. They informed him they were Gangster Two-Six members and then chased him, yelling “Two-six!” and “King Killa!” before the suspect fired seven times, hitting the man and the child.
After the shooting, the boy fled down another alley. The group listened to a police scanner and learned the little girl was shot. According to Ruggiero, the boy “urinated on his hands” after learning about the girl to try to get the gunpowder off his hands. The boy told members of his group to “hide the jacket” he was wearing.
Ruggiero said police found the gun used in the attack after witnesses heard the boy say he tossed the gun in an alley near garbage cans and a school before he ran away. Video surveillance recorded him hiding the gun there.
“He transformed (the street) into a real-life horror movie,” Ruggiero said. “He showed complete disregard for human life,” when he fired a gun seven times, Ruggiero added.
"This minor didn’t care about the 7-year-old girl,'' Ruggiero said. He "involved himself'' in a gang conflict.
The boy’s defense attorney John Miraglia said in court the boy “absolutely” denies the charges. He said the boy has no “publishable” background and said his parents are “good people.” His mother and stepfather appeared in court but gave no comment.
The boy spoke quietly during the hearing, mostly giving the judge yes or no answers. As Judge Rosado read the charges, he said “I have a question,” but the judge did not allow him to elaborate. The boy twisted around to look at his mother, who nodded several times at him as he was taken back into custody.